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Historic site · Binbirdirek Mahallesi (Piyer Loti Caddesi No:2/1), Fatih, İstanbul

Theodosius Cistern

Şerefiye Sarnıcı · Şerefiye Cistern · Cistern of Theodosius

Şerefiye Sarnıcı, a covered cistern of about 1,600 years in Binbirdirek, Fatih, thought to date from the reign of Theodosius II. It was uncovered in 2010 and is run as a ticketed museum by Istanbul's municipal culture company.

Where it is

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Open Theodosius Cistern on the XTOUR map. Directions are available there.

41.0074, 28.9724

Why go

According to its operator, Kültür A.Ş., the cistern has no founding inscription but is thought from its architecture to have been built under Theodosius II (408–450), which makes it one of the earliest water structures on the Historic Peninsula. The hall measures about 24 by 40 metres with a ceiling 11 metres high, 45 sail vaults and 32 columns; the Corinthian capitals, decorated with acanthus leaves, were made for the cistern from Marmara Island marble, and the interior walls, about 2.5 metres thick, are plastered against water and have rounded corners to resist its pressure. Above it stood the Arif Paşa mansion, built around 1900, which served as Istanbul's city administration building in 1912 and later as the Eminönü municipality building. In 2010 the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality demolished the concrete annexes of that building and uncovered the cistern, and the surroundings became an archaeological park. The operator also holds concerts in the cistern at intervals, using its acoustics, and publishes no schedule for them. It is a separate site with a separate ticket from the Basilica Cistern, which the same company also runs.

Getting there

The operator's address is Binbirdirek Mahallesi, Piyer Loti Caddesi No:2/1, 34122 Fatih; it does not describe the entrance or the nearest transport stop. Payment at the entrance is by bank card or İstanbulkart only, according to the operator, and it advises against buying from sellers other than its own ticket desk and its Passo online sales.

Best time to visit

The operator does not publish a best season, month or time of day.

Through the year

The operator states that the cistern is open every day of the week and does not describe a seasonal timetable, but it does not confirm its closing time (see opening hours), and it does not say whether hours change on public or religious holidays. Its concerts are held at intervals and no schedule is published, so plan around a concert only after checking with the operator.

Accessibility

The operator does not say how visitors descend to the cistern or whether there is a lift, and it does not describe a stroller or wheelchair route or toilets; ask the operator on 0212 222 28 82 before you go if you need step-free access. Its English visit page says large items such as suitcases are not allowed and that lockers are not available. Pets are admitted only in a carrier, and smoking, including electronic cigarettes, is not allowed indoors. The culture company's site says visitors with a disability card enter free.

Base yourself nearby

City

Istanbul

Istanbul is the city the Bosphorus divides between Europe and Asia, with the Golden Horn cutting into its European shore. Its Historic Areas (the Sultanahmet archaeological park, the Süleymaniye quarter, Zeyrek and the Land Walls) are a UNESCO World Heritage property inscribed in 1985, and a visit sorts naturally into the old city, the European Bosphorus shore around Beyoğlu, and Üsküdar and Kadıköy across the water.

Near Theodosius Cistern

Related guides

  • Theodosius Cistern (Şerefiye) guide: a smaller cistern with its own rules

    The Theodosius Cistern, Şerefiye Sarnıcı, is a 5th-century covered cistern uncovered in 2010 and run as a museum by Istanbul's municipal culture company, separate from the Basilica Cistern. This guide covers what its 32 columns and 45 vaults look like, the operator's rules including free entry for children aged 6 and under, its two published closing times, and the listed ticket.

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