Istanbul Diary - Day 2 - The Cisterns

Continued from here

Out of Topkapi, refuel at a Divan Yolu eatery, and then we are out on the streets again, deciding to stop by at the Yerabatan Cisterns or the Basilica Cistern.  

This huge underground water tank must have taken some building and planning.  You can still see the watermarks on some of the columns.  There are pipes to take the water out, but they are not used anymore I think.  There were these huge fishes in the water, which is now about say 2 feet deep, and the government has created "atmosphere", with the lighting and background organ music, which kind of echoes through the cave.  All kind of spooky and nice.  

I dont remember, but James Bond was here, reportedly rowing his way between the pillars!

Two Medusa heads have been found at the bottom of two of the pillars, adding to the mystery and spook, one upside down and one on the side.

My theory - Some Roman builder probably had a strange sense of humour, and didn't realise it would lead to so much speculation, excitement and rumour, after a thousand years!

Or maybe he looted it from some temple, and thought this was a good place to hide it?!  

In this book "Pompei" by Robert Harris, one of the bad guys hides his loot in the cisterns at Pompei, I remember!