Destination: Turkey: Istanbul
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Basilica Cistern
The final sight on Sultanhamet’s holy trinity tour is the Basilica Cistern or “Sunken Palace,” a subterranean well located southwest of the Hagia Sophia. The cistern, first constructed by Constantine then rebuilt and enlarged by Justinian, was used to store water for the Great Palace of Constantinople and the Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman conquest of 1453. The macabre underground site, reminiscent of a cathedral was neglected for centuries but has been recently renovated for public tour. Open daily 9–5.
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