Hotels near The Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern was built under Justinian in 532 to store water for the Great Palace, and it is an underground chamber the size of a cathedral: 336 marble columns in twelve rows holding up a brick vault, standing in shallow water. Many of the columns were salvaged from older Roman buildings, which is why two of them rest on carved Medusa heads, one upside down and one on its side, with no surviving explanation for either.

A restoration completed a few years ago added raised walkways, lighting and sound installations, which divides opinion but makes the space easier to move through. It takes 45 minutes. Tickets are timed and evening slots cost more. This is the best wet-weather entry in Sultanahmet, being fully underground and a two-minute walk from Hagia Sophia.

Pro Tip: Keep this one in reserve rather than booking it for a fixed morning. October rain arrives in short heavy bursts, and having an underground site two minutes from wherever you are standing in Sultanahmet is worth more than a slot you booked for a day that turned out clear.