A Forest of Columns

A forest of 336 marble columns supports the ceiling, each 9 metres high, arranged in 12 rows of 28 columns, each spaced 5 metres apart. Istanbul's Basilica Cistern is one of the most extraordinary places on earth.

📸 # Michael Levine-Clark (flickr cc)

I think it's utterly gorgeous.

I just did not have time on my previous visit to Istanbul. But next time!

Constructed in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, the cistern was part of a complex system to supply water to the Great Palace of Constantinople and other buildings.

This cathedral-size cistern measures approximately 138 metres by 65 metres (about 9,000 m2 in area).

And it could hold up to 80,000 m3 of water, roughly the volume of 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Water was delivered via aqueducts from a reservoir near the Belgrade Forest, about 19 kilometres away.

The cistern helped ensure a steady water supply even during sieges or dry periods.

It is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns beneath Istanbul, Turkey.

It’s famous not just for its scale, but for its architecture.

The ceiling is supported by the marble columns, many of which were recycled from older Roman structures.

Today, it’s a major historical site and tourist attraction.