Basilica Cistern Small Group, Live Guide. w/Skip-the-Line Ticket
Active
30m
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Instant confirmation
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
About this experience
Visit the Basilica Cistern, built in the 4th century and enlarged in 532 AD, used as water storage during Byzantine times. Listen to your guide as they explain the mystery of Medusa heads from Greek mythology.
Explore this cathedral-sized cistern, built during the reign of Emperor Justinian I in 532 A.D. to supply water to the Great Palace. It stores up to 80,000 cubic meters of water, delivered via 20 kilometers of aqueducts from a reservoir near the Black Sea.
Descend the fifty-two stone steps into the entrance of the cistern. The cistern is surrounded by a firebrick wall with a thickness of 4 meters, coated with a waterproofing mortar. Hear how the Basilica Cistern's water comes from the Eğrikapı Water Distribution Center in the Belgrade Forest and travels through the 971-meter-long Valens Aqueduct and the 115-meter-long Mağlova Aqueduct, built by the Emperor Justinian.
Available options
Basilica Cistern Small Group, Live Guide. w/Skip-the-Line Ticket
What's included
Entry ticket to Basilica Cistern
Professional English-speaking guide
Detailed itinerary
1
Stop 1
On this 30-minute tour, visit the 4th-century Basilica Cistern and discover the mystery of Medusa heads from Greek mythology.
What's not included
Transfer
Available languages
Guide guide
EN
Reviews breakdown
Viator
4.9
11 reviews
5★
10
4★
1
3★
0
2★
0
1★
0
Tripadvisor
5.0
52 reviews
5★
51
4★
0
3★
1
2★
0
1★
0
Important information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Meeting point
Big Bus Sultanahmet stop in front of Hagia Sophia
From $25
per person
Price varies by option
Secure booking
Free cancellation available
Instant confirmation
