Basilica Cistern Tickets
Visit the Basilica Cistern, one of the largest ancient water cisterns in Turkey. It is the perfect model of Byzantine architecture and is home to interesting attractions such as Hen’s Eye Column and Medusa Pillar Bases. Book Basilica Cistern tickets here to enjoy skip-the-line entry and guided tours.-
Skip the long lines and discover one of the most-visited museums in Istanbul.
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Learn more about the Basilica Cistern’s history and the outstanding engineering prowess of the Byzantines.
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Witness the famous Hen’s Eye Column and Medusa Pillar Bases, which have been featured in several Hollywood films.
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Opt for the multilingual audio guide to gain intriguing insights into the museum and its exhibits.
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You can make your experience even better by upgrading your ticket to include a guided tour of Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque.
More details
-
Skip the long lines and discover one of the most-visited museums in Istanbul.
-
Learn more about the Basilica Cistern’s history and the outstanding engineering prowess of the Byzantines.
-
Witness the famous Hen’s Eye Column and Medusa Pillar Bases, which have been featured in several Hollywood films.
-
Opt for the multilingual audio guide to gain intriguing insights into the museum and its exhibits.
-
You can make your experience even better by upgrading your ticket to include a guided tour of Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern and Blue Mosque.
-
Experience the magic of the Basilica Cistern as you skip the queue and explore the ancient water storage, marveling at the 336 massive columns.
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Immerse yourself in the mystery of the sideways Medusa head columns in the Basilica Cistern and listen to the intriguing theories from your multilingual audio guide.
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Bypass the crowds with skip-the-line entry to the world-renowned Hagia Sophia, a monument that has served as a church, a mosque, and now a museum.
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Admire the intricate mosaics and the imperial dome of Hagia Sophia at your own pace, equipped with an informative audio guide available in 23 languages.
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Fun fact: The Basilica Cistern, known as the 'Sunken Palace', is capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters of water, enough to fill around 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
More details
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Experience the magic of the Basilica Cistern as you skip the queue and explore the ancient water storage, marveling at the 336 massive columns.
-
Immerse yourself in the mystery of the sideways Medusa head columns in the Basilica Cistern and listen to the intriguing theories from your multilingual audio guide.
-
Bypass the crowds with skip-the-line entry to the world-renowned Hagia Sophia, a monument that has served as a church, a mosque, and now a museum.
-
Admire the intricate mosaics and the imperial dome of Hagia Sophia at your own pace, equipped with an informative audio guide available in 23 languages.
-
Fun fact: The Basilica Cistern, known as the 'Sunken Palace', is capable of holding 80,000 cubic meters of water, enough to fill around 32 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
8% off
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Explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, including the Harem, and marvel at holy relics like the Prophet Muhammad's mantle.
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The Hagia Sophia's dome reveals its storied history with its mosaics of Christian Seraphims and inscriptions of Quranic verses.
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Descend into the mysterious Basilica Cistern, an ancient water reservoir, and spot the upside-down Medusa head carvings.
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Learn how the Byzantine-built Basilica and Hagia Sophia were repurposed and preserved by the Ottomans with audio guides for all three sites.
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Did you know? The upside-down Medusa head in the Basilica Cistern wasn't a mistake. Some believe it was placed that way to ward off evil spirits.
More details
-
Explore the opulent Topkapi Palace, including the Harem, and marvel at holy relics like the Prophet Muhammad's mantle.
-
The Hagia Sophia's dome reveals its storied history with its mosaics of Christian Seraphims and inscriptions of Quranic verses.
-
Descend into the mysterious Basilica Cistern, an ancient water reservoir, and spot the upside-down Medusa head carvings.
-
Learn how the Byzantine-built Basilica and Hagia Sophia were repurposed and preserved by the Ottomans with audio guides for all three sites.
-
Did you know? The upside-down Medusa head in the Basilica Cistern wasn't a mistake. Some believe it was placed that way to ward off evil spirits.
7% off
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Enjoy fast-track entry into Basilica Cistern, one of the largest cisterns located in Istanbul with vaulted ceilings and raised wooden platforms with an expert guide.
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Discover the heritage of a once-great Ottoman Empire and Istanbul’s spiritual side at the amazing Blue Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Experience skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia and listen to how it was once a church and later became a mosque, and finally a museum.
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Learn about the history and architecture of Hagia Sophia from your insightful audio guide.
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Fun Fact: The Blue mosque was located on a square known as the Sultanahmet Square, originally known as the Hippodrome of Constantinople and used to be a huge stadium for chariot races.
More details
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Enjoy fast-track entry into Basilica Cistern, one of the largest cisterns located in Istanbul with vaulted ceilings and raised wooden platforms with an expert guide.
-
Discover the heritage of a once-great Ottoman Empire and Istanbul’s spiritual side at the amazing Blue Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
-
Experience skip-the-line entry to Hagia Sophia and listen to how it was once a church and later became a mosque, and finally a museum.
-
Learn about the history and architecture of Hagia Sophia from your insightful audio guide.
-
Fun Fact: The Blue mosque was located on a square known as the Sultanahmet Square, originally known as the Hippodrome of Constantinople and used to be a huge stadium for chariot races.
10% off
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Discover Istanbul with the MegaPass! Choose 2, 4, or 9 attractions including museums, guided tours, Bosphorus cruises, national palaces, and Hamam baths.
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Skip the lines to the attractions and spend your precious time exploring Turkish culture, architecture, and cuisine, saving up to 37%.
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Choose your preferred experiences: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce Palace, Whirling Dervish Show, Turkish bath, or a dinner cruise.
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The pass is valid for 7 days, offering maximum flexibility, and includes a complimentary Bosphorus Cruise ticket and a guided tour of the Blue Mosque.
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Get access to a 5-ride transport card, route maps, and a digital guidebook—everything you need for a great experience!
More details
-
Discover Istanbul with the MegaPass! Choose 2, 4, or 9 attractions including museums, guided tours, Bosphorus cruises, national palaces, and Hamam baths.
-
Skip the lines to the attractions and spend your precious time exploring Turkish culture, architecture, and cuisine, saving up to 37%.
-
Choose your preferred experiences: Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahce Palace, Whirling Dervish Show, Turkish bath, or a dinner cruise.
-
The pass is valid for 7 days, offering maximum flexibility, and includes a complimentary Bosphorus Cruise ticket and a guided tour of the Blue Mosque.
-
Get access to a 5-ride transport card, route maps, and a digital guidebook—everything you need for a great experience!
-
Take an elevator up the Galata Tower, originally a watchtower, now an interesting museum with space for exhibitions about Turkish history.
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Revel in the panoramic vista of the city and witness the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Suleymaniye Mosque from atop the tower.
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Walk down some of the oldest streets in the Galata quarter of Istanbul as you head to the seaside.
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Upgrade your tickets to enjoy access to the Galata Tower as you enjoy listening to interesting facts and stories through your audio guide app.
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Did you know? There is a restaurant on top of the Galata Tower. Indulge in fancy Turkish delicacies at the Galata Restaurant.
More details
-
Take an elevator up the Galata Tower, originally a watchtower, now an interesting museum with space for exhibitions about Turkish history.
-
Revel in the panoramic vista of the city and witness the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Suleymaniye Mosque from atop the tower.
-
Walk down some of the oldest streets in the Galata quarter of Istanbul as you head to the seaside.
-
Upgrade your tickets to enjoy access to the Galata Tower as you enjoy listening to interesting facts and stories through your audio guide app.
-
Did you know? There is a restaurant on top of the Galata Tower. Indulge in fancy Turkish delicacies at the Galata Restaurant.
-
Tour the UNESCO World Heritage site – Topkapı Palace along with an expert multilingual local guide and enjoy priority admission with skip-the-line access.
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Explore the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans.
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Admire the lavish interiors, see the brilliant artifacts on display, and bask in the glory of the Ottoman Era.
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Visit the Harem section and see the lavishly decorated marble hallways, and arched doorways with over 400 rooms!
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Fun Fact: The Palace has 20 chimneys in the kitchen, where roughly 800 employees worked making this the largest kitchen in the Ottoman Empire at the time.
More details
-
Tour the UNESCO World Heritage site – Topkapı Palace along with an expert multilingual local guide and enjoy priority admission with skip-the-line access.
-
Explore the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans.
-
Admire the lavish interiors, see the brilliant artifacts on display, and bask in the glory of the Ottoman Era.
-
Visit the Harem section and see the lavishly decorated marble hallways, and arched doorways with over 400 rooms!
-
Fun Fact: The Palace has 20 chimneys in the kitchen, where roughly 800 employees worked making this the largest kitchen in the Ottoman Empire at the time.
-
Take a 90-minute cruise along the Bosphorus Strait with an audio guide to learn about the city's centuries-old history.
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Sail past landmarks like Dolmabahce Palace and Rumeli Fortress seamlessly blending with modern marvels like the Istanbul Sapphire.
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Standing guard over Istanbul, the Galata Tower offers a bird's eye view of the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Marmara Sea.
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Take advantage of the downloadable audio guide to learn of the tower's importance through the Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern Turkish eras.
-
Fun fact: A Roman legend suggests that couples who climb the Galata Tower together, both first-timers, are guaranteed to get married.
More details
-
Take a 90-minute cruise along the Bosphorus Strait with an audio guide to learn about the city's centuries-old history.
-
Sail past landmarks like Dolmabahce Palace and Rumeli Fortress seamlessly blending with modern marvels like the Istanbul Sapphire.
-
Standing guard over Istanbul, the Galata Tower offers a bird's eye view of the Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Marmara Sea.
-
Take advantage of the downloadable audio guide to learn of the tower's importance through the Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern Turkish eras.
-
Fun fact: A Roman legend suggests that couples who climb the Galata Tower together, both first-timers, are guaranteed to get married.
17% off
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Skip the winding queues at the ancient Basilica Cistern, one of Istanbul’s hidden underground reservoirs.
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Admire the amazing Byzantine artworks, including the many illuminated columns and the Medusa heads.
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Learn about the fascinating history of the cistern from your expert English-speaking local guide.
-
Enhance your experience with a guided tour of the iconic Hagia Sophia and the grand Blue Mosque.
-
Fun fact: Dan Brown’s Inferno and James Bond’s From Russia with Love were filmed here.
More details
-
Skip the winding queues at the ancient Basilica Cistern, one of Istanbul’s hidden underground reservoirs.
-
Admire the amazing Byzantine artworks, including the many illuminated columns and the Medusa heads.
-
Learn about the fascinating history of the cistern from your expert English-speaking local guide.
-
Enhance your experience with a guided tour of the iconic Hagia Sophia and the grand Blue Mosque.
-
Fun fact: Dan Brown’s Inferno and James Bond’s From Russia with Love were filmed here.
Pro tips to help you make a pick
Skip the line to save time: Booking skip-the-line tickets online for Basilica Cistern will help you save time by avoiding long queues and give you priority access to the venue.
Guided tours for an all-rounded visit: Consider taking a guided tour with a knowledgeable guide or an audio guide. This will help you gain a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the Basilica Cistern, enhancing your experience.
Timing is key: Plan to visit the Basilica Cistern in the early mornings on weekdays to avoid crowds. This way, you can explore the monument in a more peaceful manner.
Combo tickets for added value: The Basilica Cistern is located in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet, near other major attractions like Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. By purchasing combo tickets that include access to these attractions, you can save money on individual tickets, transport fares, as well as travel time.
Top things to do in Istanbul
About Basilica Cistern
Explore the Basilica Cistern, a massive 6th-century Byzantine water reservoir. Emperor Justinian I initiated its construction to ensure water supply to the Great Palace of Constantinople. Its intriguing features, like the Weeping Column and Medusa's Heads, echo Istanbul’s centuries-old history.
The Basilica Cistern is named after the large public square called Stoa Basilica, which was located above it at the surface level.
According to historical accounts, it is believed that about 7,000 slaves worked on the construction of the Basilica Cistern.
The Basilica Cistern has withstood around 22 major earthquakes since it was constructed, proof of the exceptional skills of its Byzantine builders.
Many of the 336 marble columns supporting the cistern were salvaged and repurposed from even older Greek and Roman temples and ruins.
The presence of the Basilica Cistern and other connected water cisterns allowed Constantinople to remain unconquered by enemy sieges for around 1,000 years.
Why visit Basilica Cistern?
Highlights
Plan your visit
Main Entrance (Yerebatan Caddesi)
The entrance to the Basilica Cistern is located on Yerebatan Caddesi (street), on the southwest side of Hagia Sophia. On average, the wait time at this entrance is around 10-15 minutes if you don’t have a pre-booked skip-the-line ticket.
Recommended duration of visit: 30 minutes to 1 hour
While strollers are allowed into the Basilica Cistern, there is no place to keep them aside while you explore the attraction. Visitors have to carry the stroller with them at all times.