Basilica Cistern is among the most visited museums in Istanbul. In this article, you can find updated information about the Basilica Cistern entrance fee & opening hours. In addition, the history of the Basilica Cistern is also briefly noted.
If you want to enter Basilica Cistern quickly with QR code tickets, you can buy your online ticket in advance via this link. This skip-the-line ticket is sold by the official company and saves you from waiting in long ticket lines in high season.
Byzantine Cisterns in Istanbul
There are hundreds of Byzantine cisterns in the Old City of Istanbul. If you look carefully, you will notice that there are cisterns with red brick ceilings visible even in Hagia Sophia Square or the second courtyard of Topkapi Palace.
Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, had been under siege many times in history. The city, which had the most powerful city walls of the Middle Ages, succeeded in lifting the siege each time. In military history, these walls are called Theodosian Walls.
However, it was not only the walls that were necessary during the sieges. It was very important to meet the water needs of the city people. Therefore, there are numerous cisterns under the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul.
Today, three Byzantine cisterns are open to visitors as a museum in Sultanahmet. One is the famous Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici), the other is the recently restored Theodosius Cistern (Serefiye Sarnici). Apart from these two, there is another cistern called Cistern of Philoxenos (Binbirdirek Sarnici).
History of The Basilica Cistern
The history of the Basilica Cistern goes back 1500 years, when the Byzantine Empire was at the height of its power. It was built in the 540s during the reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian.
Justinian, who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 to 565, was also the ruler who built Hagia Sophia. He is considered the most important ruler of the Byzantine Empire, which survived for more than 1000 years.
The Basilica Cistern is really amazing in size. Built in 108 meters and 65 meters in size, the cistern is the largest cistern in Istanbul with an area of 9800 m2. The Cistern was built to meet the water needs of the Great Palace of Eastern Roman Emperors.
1. Ancient Columns of Basilica Cistern
Inside the cistern, there are 336 reused columns from various ancient Greco-Roman structures. When you look carefully at these columns, you will notice that they are not made for this cistern and are of different shapes and lengths.
Some of the ancient columns of the Basilica Cistern are from the ancient Greek period, while others are from the Roman period. The Byzantines, on the other hand, gathered columns from the ruins of these periods.
2. Medusa Heads in the Cistern
As you move towards the bottom of the cistern, you will see that large stones were placed under the two very short columns for support. Medusa’s face was engraved on these stones.
For the architects who built the cistern, the rocks of which medusa heads were engraved had no meaning. They told the workers to place the rocks under two columns shorter than the others. But in the 540s when the cistern was built, it had only been two centuries since Christianity had been accepted.
The figures of ancient Greek mythology still remained in the minds of people. The workers were afraid of Medusa, which turned everyone into stone. Therefore, they placed one of the Medusa heads on the side and one upside down.
3. Why is It Called Basilica Cistern?
There are various rumors about where the Basilica Cistern got its name. The most common of these is that the cistern was named as the Basilica Cistern because it was built under the square called Stoa Basilica, an important square during the Byzantine period.
Basilicas functioned as court buildings in the early Roman Empire. However, later, when Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, they were converted into churches one by one.
The aim in doing this was to create a practical place of worship for the ever-increasing Christian community. Thus, for centuries, churches were inspired by the basilica plan.
Basilica Cistern Entrance Fee 2025
Basilica Cistern entrance fee is 1300 Turkish Lira as of June 2025. Museum Pass Istanbul is NOT valid for this place. You can buy your skip-the-line ticket for Basilica Cistern from the official seller via this link.
As of 2025, there is a practice called “Night Shift” in the Cistern. The cistern reopens at 7:30 pm and there are special events until 10:00 pm. The ticket price to the cistern between these hours is 2000 Turkish Liras.
Skip-The-Line Basilica Cistern Tickets
You can purchase your skip-the-line ticket to Basilica Cistern in advance by clicking on this link here. These fast track entry tickets are provided by the official company. Thanks to these QR code tickets, you can avoid the ticket office queues that can last up to 1 hour in the high season.
These online tickets are sold under the guarantee of GetYourGuide, an international company. Easy cancellation with a FULL REFUND up to 24 hours in advance.
Basilica Cistern Opening Hours 2025
Basilica Cistern opening hours are between 09:00 in the morning and 18:30 in the evening as of June 2025. You can buy your skip-the-line ticket for Basilica Cistern from the official seller via this link here.
Basilica Cistern now has an additional visiting time called “Night Shift”. The Cistern can be visited between 19:30 and 22:00 with a different ticket. Please note that during the night shift, the entrance fee to the Basilica Cistern increases to 2000 Turkish Lira!
The visiting hours of the museums in Istanbul may change due to renovations or events. Before you go, I suggest you check the museum’s official site one last time.
How to Get to The Cistern?
The Basilica Cistern is located in Sultanahmet, the touristic center of Istanbul. The Cistern is known as “Yerebatan Sarnici” in Turkish. And it is located at the beginning of Yerebatan Street with the same name.
In order to get to the Basilica Cistern from Taksim Square, you can first take the Funicular F1 to Kabatas. You can reach Sultanahmet (picture above) by Tram T1 from Kabatas and walk to the cistern in a few minutes from the tram station.
Conclusion
The Cistern is crowded between April and November due to the high tourist season. There is a waiting time of approximately 1 hour at the ticket office. If you wish, you can purchase a Basilica Cistern skip-the-line ticket by clicking this link here.
The Basilica Cistern is located in one of the most touristic places in Istanbul. After visiting the cistern, you can see many museums and historical artifacts in the Sultanahmet district.
If you want to learn more about places to visit in Istanbul, I can recommend you a useful blog post. Thanks to the maps and information in Istanbul Maps article, you can easily find the places you will visit during your Istanbul trip.
Written by Serhat Engul
Hi. When will the Basilica Cistern open?
No official information has been given about when the Basilica Cistern will reopen. However, as it seems from the outside, the restoration has come to its final stage.
Hi! Is there any discount for foreign students or the ticket is flat fee for anybody? I’ve checked on “Passo” (the official seller) but I couldn’t figure it out.
P.S. I’ve noticed a significant increase in ticket prices (for other attractions as well) starting from this year: is it an inflation-response policy?
Hello, as far as I know, there is no discount for foreign students in museums in Istanbul. But I’m not 100% sure about this.
I couldn’t quite understand the price policy of museums in Istanbul this year. I think the prices are too high even compared to USD and Euro.
Hello,
Some sources say the Basilica Cistern is open to visitors until 10pm and yours says 6:30pm.
Do the opening hours extend to 10pm in the Summer months?
Thanks
Hi Mary, yes Basilica Cistern does indeed close at 18:30. However, according to a new system that has been implemented in the last few months, it reopens at 19:30.
Basilica Cistern is holding a new event called “Night Shift” from 19:30 to 22:00. There are some music concerts and special exhibitions between these hours.
However, if you visit the cistern between 19:30 and 22:00, there is a different price. In other words, according to the prices in April 2024, the normal ticket is 600 Turkish Liras, while the “Night Shift” ticket is 1000 Turkish Liras.
Hi! What is the difference between normal ticket and skip the line ticket? The price that I see for both of them is mostly similar.
Hello Kriti,
There are generally two different entrances to museums in Istanbul. One of these is the entrance where people who want to buy standard tickets wait in line, and the second is the fast entrance where guided groups pass.
Those with skip-the-line tickets meet their guides near the museum and quickly enter the museum as a group through the guided group entrance – unless it is overcrowded.
If the museum is very crowded, there may be a queue at the guided group entrance. However, this crowd is generally very small compared to those waiting in line to buy tickets.
With a skip-the-line ticket, you not only enter the museum quickly, but also tour with a guide and hear the history of the building from the guide.
Hi Serhat. I am a little confused with the ‘night shift’ as there is so little available information online. I understand it costs more but is the evening visit available daily or only during special events when there are concerts/displays?
Hi Erwin, yes it is possible to visit the cistern every day in the late evening with a more expensive entrance fee.
The reason why it was called “Night Shift” was that there were some additional services (activities and soft music concerts) in the cistern during these hours that were not available during the day.
However, I am not sure if these activities are still being carried out now. There used to be live music and modern art exhibitions, but now when I visit the cistern during the day, I no longer see the stands prepared for the evening.
I don’t think producing and presenting content for every evening is sustainable. However, as I said, it is still possible to visit at late hours.
Thank you Serhat. That’s really useful. I wish the Night Shift was available for booking online as with the daytime tickets.
You are welcome. Btw when purchasing a ticket, keep in mind that visiting the cistern at night will not add anything to your experience. The cistern is underground and does not receive sunlight, so it is the same during the day and at night.
Hello, just a small update, March 2025, price for Yerebatan Sarayi is now updated
1400TRY (35 EUR) from 9:00 to 18:30 hours
2000TRY (50EUR) from 19:30 to 22 hours
Hello Ivo, thanks for the information. Prices change so frequently that sometimes I have a hard time keeping track. It was nice to get some help. I will update the post as soon as possible. Cheers.