Romantic Turkey, the Basilica Cistern is still worth a visit

It really resembles the scenes from certain games, or rather, many game scene designs are inspired by it. Just looking at it can bring back memories of some levels. As for its history, it indeed requires some prior research, or patience to read its on-site introductions (mainly about Turkish hydraulic engineering). Many people don't think highly of it, finding it boring and not worth the admission fee, but if you're interested in the history of Istanbul, or enjoy playing games and reading novels, the cistern is definitely worth a visit. Here's a bit of history: The Basilica Cistern, in Turkish Yerebatan Sarnıcı, means 'Cathedral Reservoir', and was one of the sources of drinking water for the citizens of Istanbul 1500 years ago. It was built under a cathedral, hence its name, initially constructed by Emperor Constantine and rebuilt and expanded by Emperor Justinian after the Nika riots of 532. Historical records indicate that 7,000 slaves were involved in the construction of the cistern. The expansion of the reservoir provided a filtration system for Constantinople and other buildings on the First Hill, and continued to supply water to the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest in 1453 until modern times. During the Ottoman rule, it was renovated twice, with architect Mehmet Aga carrying out repairs under Ahmet Sultan III in 1723. Sultan Abdulhamid II oversaw the second major renovation during his reign (1876-1909) in the 19th century. In the Republican period, it was renovated again between 1985-1987, with 50,000 tons of mud used to fill the walkways and platforms, and it was opened for local and foreign visitors to tour. It underwent another cleaning and renovation in May 1994. The ceiling is supported by 336 columns arranged in 12 rows, each 9 meters high, with 28 columns per row spaced 4.8 meters apart. The roof is supported by the columns through arches that distribute the weight. Out of these, 98 columns are of the Corinthian style, while the others are Doric.