Istanbul underground: Basilica Cistern

I love going to things that are underground, and in Istanbul, there is an ancient Cistern you can visit.

The acoustics here are unbelievable, and the underground space looks somewhat like a cathedral with its decorative columns and vaulted ceiling. It is named Basilica Cistern (but because it was under a Basilica, not because of its resemblance to a Basilica). It was used as water storage for centuries but is now only kept with a low amount of water and is a tourist attraction.

Oddly there are two columns with Medusa heads at the bottom. One is sideways and one upside-down. They are thought to have been taken from a Roman building to build the Cisterns.

The Cistern is near Hagia Sofia and is a very nice temperature year-round. This makes it a great place to cool off on a hot day.