Basilica Cistern Yerebatan Sarnıcı
The Basilica Cistern is an ancient Roman cistern in the Fatih district of Istanbul, featuring Byzantine architecture. Commissioned by Justinian I, it is one of the most looked-up sights in Turkey.
Planning a visit
The site is open Monday to Sunday from 09:00 to 19:00. Adult admission is 1500 TL (23€) for visits between 09:00 and 18:30, or 2400 TL (47€) for visits between 19:30 and 22:00. There is no wheelchair access at the site.
July and August are the warmest months, with daily highs of 26 °C and 27 °C. These months also have the least rain, with about 3 or 4 rainy days. December is the wettest month, with 119 mm of rain. The cistern is 30 km from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and 348 km from Ankara. It is located near the Hagia Sophia and the Historic Areas of Istanbul, both 0.2 km away. Other nearby sights include the Blue Mosque, 0.3 km away, the Istanbul Archaeology Museums, 0.5 km away, and the Column of Constantine, 0.6 km away.
Weather by month
The warmest month is August, with an average high of 27 °C. The wettest is December, with about 119 mm of rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 8 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 10 |
| Average low, °C | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
| Rainfall, mm | 95 | 77 | 68 | 47 | 33 | 34 | 28 | 33 | 49 | 88 | 95 | 119 |
| Rainy days | 14 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 12 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for this spot (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
