The Basilica Cistern

Water that was lead in from the Valens Aqueduct, was stored in the Basilica Cistern which is now one of the big tourist attractions in Istanbul. 

I am including a picture of one of the information cards so that I do not have to appear like I really know what I am talking about!

After buying a ticket, you descend down into another world.  They do a good job of making the cistern seem otherworldly, but they also have made it very difficult to get decent pictures!

Turkish fish!

I remember having to learn the different types of columns in school, but damned if I remember which is which.

Aside from the water, fish, and rows of columns, there are a couple of different things to see in the cistern.  For example the tear drop column.  Supposedly it was carved with the eyes so that the tear drops from the eyes would pay tribute the hundreds of slaves who died in the construction of the cistern.  I bet the slaves appreciated the gesture.

As for this hole, there was a line of people waiting to stick their finger inside the hole.  I never figured out why they were doing this.  Good luck perhaps?  I opted not to stick any of my fingers in it.  I didn't have hand sanitizer.

Also in the cistern are two columns with Medusa heads for the bases.  Those who study this sort of thing are not sure where the Medusa sculptures came from or really why they are even there.  Perhaps to ward off evil spirits, but they are pretty cool nonetheless!

Are there also birds in the Basilica Cistern?

As this is one of the big attractions in Istanbul, one has to deal with a large number of other people trying to get photographs of the same thing that you are trying to photograph.  Here is a picture with someone else's flash pre-light.  I chose not to get a picture of the Asian girls sitting directly in front of the Medusa trying to get that perfect selfie while everyone else had to move around them.  Tourists!

I did my best to Photoshop the all of the other pictures so that they looked a little better.  This is the weird orange glow that the lighting in the cistern gave all of my pictures!