The Basilica Cistern has been providing Istanbul residents with water since the sixth century when it was ordered built by the Roman Emperor Justinian I. A visit leaves travelers raving about the technology the ancient Romans used to build this architectural wonder that was very advanced for its day.

The underground cistern, just a few steps away from the Blue Mosque, was built on the site of a basilica that was constructed in the third century.

Its construction was to collect rainwater falling throughout the year. The cistern consists of 336 columns arranged longitudinally and contains many bridges that would facilitate the movement of tourists between its extremities. The sounds of water purring inside the Palace continue without stopping as there is a large pond with a depth of one and a half meters, full of “Karya” fish.

The cistern is one of the locations used in From Russia with Love, a James Bond thriller filmed in 1963.