Travel Highlights - Şerefiye Sarnıcı

Şerefiye Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is Istanbul's largest underground water storage tank. It's enormous and features unique relics, such as the Tear Column and the Head of Medusa. Located near the Hagia Sophia, it's become a popular tourist attraction. This is the basilisk we originally planned to visit, but unfortunately, it's closed for renovations. As we lingered outside, a man filming from below came up and told us he had a project to film. He explained that while this area was closed, there was a private one nearby that we could visit. This was a blessing in disguise; at least we could see what the Basilica Cistern was like.

On April 24, 2018, a new basilisk opened in Istanbul, the Şerefiye Basilica Cistern. Its exterior is quite novel, resembling a mix of an art gallery, a cafe, a restaurant, and more, with its glass-enclosed exterior. The Basilica Cistern is said to be approximately 1,600 years old, making it even older than Hagia Sophia. Construction began under the orders of Emperor II Theodosius II and connected the water supply system to the Bozdoğan Kemeri (Valensky Aqueduct). Construction took place between 428 and 443 AD, a total of fifteen years. The interior measures approximately 45 meters by 25 meters, supported by 32 nine-meter-high stone columns. Compared to the Yerebatan Sarayı Basilica in the Old City, it resembles an art gallery, offering a starkly different and more compact atmosphere. At first glance, the cistern lacks the mysterious atmosphere of a basilisk and instead offers the air of a modern art gallery. The overall space exudes a stylish feel, making it perfect for a fashion show! The lighting design enhances the artwork's depth.

On our way from the Basilica Cistern to the Shrefiliye Cistern, we were hungry and wanted to find a restaurant. However, this is a tourist area, so it's easy to stumble upon a pitfall. This time, we're sharing our experience. When walking in a tourist area, it's best to avoid those touts. We were hungry, so we went in. It was actually just a bar selling cocktails and drinks, but they had a menu. We sat down and didn't think it was unusual, so we ordered two lemonades without asking how much. That's where the problem started. They were 120 lira, which is very expensive here. Furthermore, they don't have their own kitchen, so we had to wait a long time before they brought our food from another restaurant. Since we had been waiting so long, they kindly offered me Turkish tea, saying it was a treat. When we calculated the bill, it came to over 600 lira, which isn't expensive in US dollars, but it's about three times the normal price in Turkey. Finally, they added tax. I mentioned that I hadn't heard of any tax in Turkey for almost three weeks. We just insisted but seeing how poor they were, we just let it go! Fortunately, the food we ordered was quite delicious. We ordered Pide, but the dessert was more special. I wonder what it was called? It should be Groom Katmer, also known as "Groom Katmer". Anyway, it was delicious.

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