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  3. Basilica Cistern
A cavernous subterranean chamber with numerous stone columns, arched brick ceilings, and dim, warm lighting reflecting on water.
4.2 (450 reviews)

Basilica Cistern Tickets

Explore a 6th-century chamber built to hold 80,000 cubic meters of water

Check availability

9 options • from $38.58

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Basilica Cistern reviews

4.2
450 verified customer reviews
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3 reviews
D
David,  United States United States
14 Sep 2025
Excellent
Amazing mix of wonder lost and wonder present. The audio guide and fast track ticket both make the experience better.
Basilica Cistern Fast Track Ticket and Audio Guide
D
Dejan,  Serbia Serbia
18 Aug 2025
Excellent
Nice experience, Smooth skip the line. I can recommend Tiqets since that was my third time making reservation.
Basilica Cistern Fast Track Ticket and Audio Guide
L
Leandro,  Ireland Ireland
24 Oct 2024
Excellent
It was quick to get in, the staff were so friendly with me and I didn't have any problems buying the ticket through this app. I would recommend it! In my opinion the value for money of the ticket...
It was quick to get in, the staff were so friendly with me and I didn't have any problems buying the ticket through this app. I would recommend it! In my opinion the value for money of the ticket is expensive.
Basilica Cistern: Skip The Line Ticket

About: Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is a chamber built in the 6th century, under the Emperor Justinan I, to hold 80,000 cubic meters of water. It is located under the streets of Istanbul, supported by arches and 336 marble columns. This masterpiece of architecture is probably the most famous of the hundreds cistern built in Istanbul. This Cathedral size cistern now hold only a fraction of the water that carried during its history and it has been re open to the public after carful renovation works. The ceiling is supported by impressive 336 marble columns, each 9 metres (30 ft) high, arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns each . Intresting thing is that the majority of the columns in the cistern appear to have been recycled from the ruins of older buildings. One of the most famous of this "recycled" piece is probably the "head of the Medusa" raising from the water tank.

Basilica Cistern

Thursday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Friday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Saturday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Sunday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Monday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Tuesday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Wednesday
09:00:00 - 22:00:00
Basilica Cistern
Alemdar Mh., Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34410, Istanbul
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