Mystical water underworld of past empires reopens in Istanbul

Modern works have been inserted for extra effect, such as a grasping hand emerging from the water

The 1,500-year-old Basilica Cistern has reopened in Istanbul after a five-year restoration

Justinian the Great would have been proud.

The Basilica Cistern he built for the capital of his Eastern Roman Empire in modern-day Istanbul has reopened after a five-year makeover that has transformed the water storage site into a refreshingly cool haven of underground sound and light.

Known in Turkey as Yerebatan Sarnici ("the cistern buried underground"), its rows of water-steeped columns gained fame on the silver screen when they featured in a scene from the 1963 James Bond film "From Russia With Love".

It has been completely shut since the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, allowing workers to strengthen and clean up the 138-metre by 65-metre (453-foot by 213-foot) water palace, said Aysen Kaya, deputy head of the municipality's heritage department.

The pink brick walls have also been cleared of traces of past, less elegant renovation efforts.

The Basilica Cistern could store nearly 80,000 litres (21,000 gallons) of water, which cascaded down aqueducts from mountains 19 kilometres to the north.

- Upside-down Medusa -

Beyond the structural changes, the basilica has been infused with a mystical, almost spiritual feel with coloured lights that shift people's perspectives and reveal new details.

At the heart of the 1,500-year-old structure, a triumph of the art and techniques of its time, modern works have been inserted for extra effect, such as a grasping hand emerging from the water.

"We wanted a light installation that takes nothing away from the mystical atmosphere of the place," Kaya said.

"Absolutely incredible. I mean, totally unique," said 40-year-old British visitor Nick Alatti, struggling to express his amazement in words.

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