THE BASİLİCA CİSTERN ( ENGLISH )

Basilica Cistern (Byzantine Greek: βασιλική κινστέρνή; Latin: Basilica Cisterna) [1] Located on the European side of Istanbul, the city's largest closed cistern. It is entered from a small building to the southwest of the Hagia Sophia building. The ceiling of the place, which looks like a forest of columns, is brick-built and has a cross vault.
The cistern was built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (527-565). It is called Yerebatan Palace among the people because of the many marble columns rising from the water. Since there was a basilica in the place where the cistern is located, the building is also called the Basilica Cistern. [2] In addition, the cistern is the subject of Dan Brown's novel Hell.
One of the affiliates of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Kültür A.Ş. Operated by the Basilica Cistern, besides being a museum, it hosts many national and international events.