Basilica Cistern Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry with Audio Guide
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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-size 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.
An audio guide is included and available in 25 languages: English, German, Russian, Persian, Arabic, French, Italian, Chinese, Dutch, Spanish, Hindi, Romanian, Ukrainian, Korean, Turkish, Bulgarian, Polish, Swedish, Japanese, Indonesian, Greek, Hungarian, Portuguese, Urdu, and Croatian.
Please note: The operating hours of the Basilica Cistern are from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM on January 1st.
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Facilities
Free cancellation
Mobile voucher accepted
an hour
Available in English, English
Important information
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller. Public transportation options are available nearby. Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap. Suitable for all physical fitness levels