Istanbul. The name alone evokes the senses – the colors, the activity, the smells. It is one of the most captivating cities I’ve visited and one to which I definitely hope to return. Byzantium became Constantinople and is now the Old City or “Sultanahmet” of Istanbul. Sophia Hagia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace are all well-known historical and cultural sites within walking distance in this section.
One of my surprise finds when I visited this mesmerizing city were the underground cisterns. Not only are they awash in history (as is everything in Istanbul!), but it was a fun tour and cool relief from the outside heat.
My definition for “surprise find” as it relates to travel is relatively broad. It could be a tucked away café or shop that I discover, or a hidden trail, or a local hangout that wasn’t in any guidebook. But, I also bestow the tag to sites or experiences I enjoy more than I anticipated. In other words, it surprised ME in some way.
The Basilica Cistern is the largest surviving of hundreds of cisterns under the city. It was constructed in the 500s AD by Emperor Justinian to provide water to the city in case of a siege. 336 sculpted marble columns are used to support the ceiling. The columns stand 28 feet tall. It can store up to 80,000 cubic meters of water (100,000 tons). After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, it was the primary water source for the Topkapi complex for a short time, but the Ottomans preferred running water and installed new water delivery systems. The cistern fell into disrepair after centuries of disuse and was all but forgotten.
After cleanup and restoration, the city of Istanbul opened the cistern to the public in 1987 and it is now operated as museum.
One of the mysteries that remain about this engineering marvel surround two sculptured heads of Medusa. Used as column supports, mystery shrouds not only their origin, but their placement. There is no recorded history from where the sculptures came. As they are in a Roman style, the generally accepted thought is that they were seized as spoils of some war or skirmish and placed in the cistern to provide protection.
One of the heads is placed upside down and one lies sideways. One popular legend claims they were placed in this manner to avoid the “Gorgon spell” that turns one into stone. But, researchers think they were probably used this way as the best fit to support the columns. I prefer the first theory!
One of my surprise finds. What is your favorite “surprise” from your travels?