Turkiye Day 2 - Yerebatan Sarayi (Basilica Cistern), Istanbul

Assalamualaikum. Marhaba.

From Hippodrome of Constantinople; I walked towards the Sultanahmet tram station. Nope! Not going back to hostel yet. Siang masih panjang. This time mau visit the largest ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul.

"The Basilica Cistern or (Turkish: Yerebatan Sarnıcı – "Sunken Cistern") located 500 feet (150 m) southwest of the Ayasofya on the historical peninsula of Sarayburnu. It was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I." -wikipedia-

Originally, struktur bawah tanah ni dibina di bawah Stoa Basilica iaitu dataran awam besar di First Hill of Constantinople. Sebelum dijadikan perigi (cistern), tempat ni ada sebuah Basilica (gereja) yang besar built during Roman Early Age. And it functioned as commercial, legal & artistic centre. 

Menurut sejarah, Basilica ni ada taman-taman yang dikelilingi oleh deretan tiang-tiang & mengadap Ayasofya. 

Ok enough with introduction of the cistern. Mari menuju pi sana. Actually kan aku tiada pun highlight Basilica Cistern ni dalam places-to-visit list. Tapi pi jaklah sebab sudah alang-alang dalam area yang sama...and aku rasa masih awal untuk pi melepak layan view laut Bosphorus. Yang ni memang jujur aku cakap; cistern ni aku masuk list 'asal sampai'. Been there, done that. Gitu.

5 April 2015
Sultanahmet, Istanbul

# The Milion Stone; situated just before the entrance to BC. 

# Sambil queue, sambil cuci mata tengok tulips. Meriah!

# Entrance. Kecil jak dari luar kan. Sebab the main attraction ada nun di bawah; tempat kami semua-semua ni berdiri.

# Super comel Police Station. Yes, u read that right! Police station.

While still in queue, azan Asar berkumandang. One after another sebab banyaknya masjid di Istanbul. And berdekatan pula kan. Subhanallah! Rasa sebak di hati masa tu. Terus teringat statement Liam Neeson about adhan; Islamic call to prayer that got into his spirit. He is even considering converting to Islam after his working trip in Istanbul. I am a big fan of him hence upon seeing the view of Istanbul's old & modern buildings I couldn't help but to became excited. 

"Wah ni macam dalam scene Taken 2." Gitu si Err bercakap sendiri. 

Anyway, queue masuk Basilica Cistern ni walaupun panjang tapi kejap jak. In less than 10 minutes, I was already on my way down. Entrance adalah TL20. It is open daily from 9am to 630pm. Dalam few websites aku tengok entrance adalah TL10. Maybe diorang belum update the latest price. 

Lepas staff sana koyakkan entrance ticket, maka turunlah aku menyusuri anak tangga. Sambil layan muzik on the way down tu. First sebaik sampai bawah, jumpa booth untuk sewa baju traditional Turki. Siap ada props untuk bergambar. Dalam banyak-banyak tempat, haruskah ambil gambar di bawah ni oii? Kelam suram jak suasana. Pastu ada cafe. Hmm, ngopi di bawah? Na'ah, nanti jak aku ngopi di atas sana. 

So aku pun teruskan berjalan dengan penuh hati-hati. Sebab? Laluan tu adalah basah & licin. Signage suruh be careful with slippery ground pun banyak.

# According to history, 7000 slaves were involved in constructing this!

Emperor Constantine built the Basilica; which later rebuilt & enlarged by Emperor Justinian after the Nika riots that devastated the city.

# Honestly it was super dark down here. Only certain areas ada cahaya tapi tu pun suram & kelam. I depended on my mobile phone's light while walking upon the passageway.

The enlarged cistern was used as a reservoir for water storage for the Great Palace of Constantinople & other buildings on the First Hill. It continued providing water to Topkapi Palace after the Ottoman Conquest & also into modern times.

# Ada 336 columns at this underground waterways. 

Sepanjang di bawah ni, memang ndak berapa clear pun nampak muka orang. Pastu dengar bunyi air dripping. Temperature di bawah ni ala-ala sejuk best. I read somewhere, regardless musim apa suhu di sini remain the same all year round. 

On the way pi bahagian hujung, ada few boards yang bagi information pasal Medusa. Sebabkan cahaya pun nan-kelam, haruslah aku malas mau pi membaca. Took some selca, banyak yang K.O dari OK. Sampai hujung, rupanya area kepala Medusa. Eh, jammed?! Ramai rupanya orang di bahagian sini. Semua pun gigih queue semata-mata mau tengok dua kepala si Medusa. Including Yours Truly. Ngeh!

# Upside down Medusa head supporting one of the column. 

It is said that the head was placed in upside down due to the belief that the position will ward off evil spirits. For more cerita pasal kepala medusa ni, bolehlah baca entry written by my Merengmate (here). Minah tu excited mau jumpa Medusa. Al-maklum, dewi Greek gitu.

# This one was placed sideways. 

Kenapa susunan dua-dua kepala ni ndak sama? Kunun kalau both pun placed in the same orientation, it will give power to the evil forces living in the snakes on Medusa's head. Hmm, aku tau Medusa ni manusia berambut ular jak. Mitos or kepercayaan sebalik ke-ular-an rambut dia tu memang aku ndak tau pun. Pelik kan kenapa suddenly ada dua biji kepala si Medusa di bawah ni. Well, ni sebenarnya salah satu cara untuk tenggelamkan kuasa jahat tu. Sebab haruslah selamanya kepala tu di bawah tanah ni jak. Unless ada yang 'baik hati' untuk bawa si Medusa ni naik & place it somewhere on the ground. 

I didn't spend a long time at the underground waterways. Lepas tengok Medusa, then jalan balik pi depan. Tengok columns, tengok ceiling...pastu imagine apa jadi kalau suddenly ada mata di atas tu. Terus laju kaki melangkah keluar dari sana. B to the Ngoks kan perangai! 

# Blue Mosque on the right & Ayasofya on the left. Masa ni still ramai lagi visitor yang serbu both places. Mostly tour groups. 

Goodbye for now Ayasofya & Blue Mosque. Insha Allah, umur panjang murah rezeki...aku lawat kamu lagi. Bringing along Bunda. And Mak Jemahs sekalian. 

# From Sultanahmet to Gulhane.

It was only walking-distance so I decided to walkertapaki. Tiba masa untuk cuci mata. Feel the air! Weather pun ndak sejuk sangat. Ngam-ngam untuk aku feeling sorang-sorang. 

# Tram. Kongsi jalan yang sama dengan kereta. And manusia. 

# Old school habis. Ni salah satu kedai runcit di Gulhane. Komunikasi with the staff only via that pagar besi. 

# One of the main reason yang 'patahkan kaki' si Err sepanjang di Istanbul ni. 

Cantik memang cantik cobblestone walkway ni. Memang feeling kembali ke zaman dulu kala. Tapi! Seksa oii, seksa. Punyalah bergaya dengan boots bagai...tapi gaya jalan pun sudah macam senget sebelah. Tempang. Pasrahlah. Mau berboots bagai kan. Nasiblah bukan yang ada heels Bie oii.

# Directions! 

Lalu bawah archway ni & straightaway headed to Gulhane Park. Masa untuk cuci mata tengok tulips! Sebelum cuci mata tengok laut. 

To be continue...

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