Photos

Just across the street from the Aya Sophia you'll find the Yerebatan Sarnici, the Basilica Cistern. The "Sunken Palace" served as the reservoir for the prodigious quantity of water required by the Byzantine Great Palace and is thought to date back to the reign of Justinian in AD532. It is a huge structure, measuring 140m (460ft) long and 70m (230ft) across. It still contains a few feet of water with carp swimming lazily around the submerged lights. Wooden walkways give visitors access throughout. The atmosphere is enhanced by low, eerie lighting and classical music. Many of the 336 columns supporting the cathedral-like ceiling have been recycled from pre-Christian temples – which explains the Medusa heads that are used as column bases and can be seen near the exit. I'll post a photo of the Medusa columns tomorrow. I braced the camera on the rail to minimize wobble on this one second exposure - not bad for a hand-held shot.