Explore Istanbul on The MAP!!! Find Palaces, Museums, Hotels and more fast & easy, search by distance radius...
Search :  
 Contact Us    Email This Page  
  Home : Places To Visit : : Historical Sites :
 
 There are 19 more articles under this category.
 Cistern of Philoxenos (Binbirdirek Cistern)

The Cistern of Philoxenos, or Birbindirek Cistern, located between the Forum of Constantine and the Hippodrome of Constantinople in the Sultanahmet district. It has been restored and is now visited as a tourist attraction.

The cistern was constructed under a palace, often identified as the Palace of Lausos in the 4th century. The cistern is composed of a large hypostyle chamber supported by vaults. The 224 columns, each 14 to 15 meters tall, are made of marble from nearby Marmara Island. Each column is a superposition of two columns, joined by a marble ring. The floor of the cistern was later reinforced, so that only the upper column and a short sleeve of the lower column are thus visible. A part of the original exterior is is now preserved on display near the entrance. Most of the columns, and also the caps, are engraved with a Greek mason's mark.

The cistern was restored when the palace was completely destroyed in the 6th century. After the conquest of the city by the Ottomans in 1453, the cistern fell in to disuse, and was forgotten until rediscovered during the construction of Pasha Fazli's palace on the same site in the 17th century.


View from Kempinski Hotel Ferry in Istanbul Ferry in Istanbul View from Kempinski Hotel
Rate this article :
 TerribleOkayAverageAbove averageExcellent


Sub Categories & Articles
    Hippodrome
    Ahirkapi Light House
    Anatolian Fortress
    Banded Column - Burnt Column- (Cemberlitas)
    Basilica Cistern
    Beyazit Yanginkulesi
    Column of Marcian
    Column of the Goths
    Eyup - Historical Districts of Istanbul
    Galata - Historical Districts of Istanbul
    Galata Tower
    Historical Sites And Monuments
    Leanders (Maidens) Tower
    Milion Stone
    Rumeli Fortress
    Surici (Old City) - Historical Districts of Istanbul
    Uskudar - Historical Districts of Istanbul
    Valens Aquaduct (Bozdogan Kemeri)
    Yedikule Zindanlari (Seven Tower Dungeons)
Rate this article :
 TerribleOkayAverageAbove averageExcellent


Istanbul Landmarks Istanbul Hotels