Istanbul's mysterious Basilica Cistern

Initially, we thought it was an underground palace based on its name, but it turns out to be a massive underground water reservoir built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD). After passing through the entrance and descending the stairs, you'll find this intriguing and mysterious site. While descending, it feels like you're only about two or three floors below ground level, but the temperature inside drops drastically 🤣. Even though it was scorching hot outside under the sun, the moment you step inside, it gets so cold that even wearing a jacket doesn't seem enough 🥶🥶🥶. !!!! For those sensitive to cold, make sure to bring an extra jacket when visiting!!! The cistern is supported by 336 marble columns. According to the introduction, these marble columns were repurposed from Roman ruins, which is why they exhibit traces of Greco-Roman architectural styles. This mysterious and grand underground cistern was even used as a filming location for the movie "Angels & Demons." One of the highlights to check out here is the Medusa columns. Among the many marble columns, two of them have Medusa's head at their base. Interestingly, one is placed sideways, and the other is upside down. Some say this was done because people at the time feared looking into Medusa's eyes and turning to stone, so they positioned her head sideways or upside down. However, this is just a popular legend—it's unclear whether this was true or if the placement was simply due to structural considerations. Before visiting, we were worried it might be too dark to find these two columns, but as long as you follow the path and head straight to the innermost area, you'll see them! There are plenty of spotlights illuminating the area, and many visitors stop there to take photos, so don't worry about missing them. Highly recommended! If you decide to visit the Basilica Cistern, make sure to buy tickets online in advance!!! When we visited, the line for those with tickets took about 10 minutes to get in, but the line for on-site ticket purchases looked like it would take at least an hour 😳. 📍Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey