Istanbul Municipality announces increase in entrance fee of Basilica Cistern

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality increased the tourist toll at the Basilica Cistern by 73 percent raising it to 300 Liras. The price applied to citizens, on the other hand, has not changed. Full ticket is 50 for the entrances to the Basilica Cistern, students are 20 Liras.

The Basilica Cistern, located to the southwest of Hagia Sophia is one of the magnificent historical buildings of Istanbul.

This large underground cistern, built by The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (527-565 Dec.), is popularly called the YEREBATAN SARAYI (Sunken Palace) because of the marble columns that rise from the water and look like countless. Since there was a Basilica in the place where the cistern is located, it is also referred to as the Basilica Cistern.

This huge rectangular structure was the city’s largest indoor water storage cisterns with a capacity of 80,000 tons covering an area of approximately 1000 m2; length 140 feet, a width of 70 meters,