Basilica Cistern Skip the Line Ticket with Audio Guide

About this tour

Built in 532 AD, the Basilica Cistern is the largest of the ancient underground reservoirs beneath Istanbul, first dug to carry water to the Great Palace where the Byzantine emperors lived. Your ticket skips the entrance line and lets you go straight down the stairs to the walkways below. You'll pass hundreds of columns rising out of shallow water, along with the two famous carved Medusa heads set at the base of two of them. An audio guide fills in the history as you go at your own pace.

Highlights

• Explore the Basilica Cistern, the underground reservoir that supplied Istanbul with water for centuries
• See the two carved Medusa heads and hundreds of softly lit columns
• Wander the vaulted walkways and hear the history behind this Byzantine feat of engineering

Included / Excluded

Available Days / Times

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday
• Saturday
• Sunday