Turkey (Türkiye) Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern, or Cisterna Basilica, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The cistern was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

The Cistern is very popular and hence is usually overcrowded with tourists, making photography difficult. Your best bet to beat the crowds is to buy an entrance ticket online the day before, and then be get to the site 15 minutes before it opens (8:45am). That way, you’ll almost certainly be first inside the Cistern when it does open at 9am, allowing you at least 10 to 15 minutes of uninterrupted photography while there are few other people around. Tripods are not allowed inside, and lighting is quite low, so plan accordingly. The best shots for a reflection like this image are low to the ground.

The cistern is in the heart of the tourist district, and is located 150 metres (490 ft) southwest of the Hagia Sophia on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu, where many of the key tourist sites are clustered together. There is a tram stop about 50 metres away.