This post is part 5 of 17 of my trip to Istanbul. The series intends to give more than just a I-saw-this-and-did-that review. It aims to share the voice inside my head as I explore a world I’ve only read in books.
The Basilica Cistern is a cool place to hide out from Istanbul’s blazing afternoon sun. The entrance often gets bottle necked since a flight of stairs begins only inches away from the ticket booth. It quickly descend into the cistern and everyone clutters at the foot to take pictures of the dome ceilings and the Corinthian columns.
The Basilica Cistern lies beneath Sultanahmet Square, also known as the Hippodrome, near the Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque. It served as a water reservoir for the Great Palace of Constantinople and the Topkapi Palace during the Ottoman Empire. The James Bond movie, From Russia With Love, and The International was shot there.
In the back right corner of the cistern is two large Medusa heads. It sits at the foot of two columns. One of them is placed sideways and the other is placed upside down. No one really knows exactly why they were placed that way but there have been some theories and speculations. Some say that the Medusas were placed that way to ward off evil spirits. A dark cistern can be pretty creepy. Who knows what’s lurking there.
There wasn’t much to see in the cistern. It was just a quick getaway from the midday heat. We walked through it within half an hour but the cool temperature persuaded us to linger a little longer. To the right of the bottom of the stairs is a small café. JC and I sat down and ordered a cup of Turkish coffee. We sipped on it by candlelight as we enjoyed the classical music that echoed through the air and the sound of water dripping from the ceiling. It reminded me of a set on The Phantom of The Opera. All it was missing was a little fog and a small boat.
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