Comments on: Basilica Cistern, Istanbul

By: marissewalangkaparis

marissewalangkaparis — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:23:56 +0000

Hope to one day visit Istanbul….

By: Babette

Babette — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:23:58 +0000

I’ve seen this in a documentary on the Travel Channel or Discovery Channel. I can just imagine how beautiful it is. Lucky you!

By: blisfulwizrd

blisfulwizrd — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:18:54 +0000

I’ve been living in Turkey for over a year and in that time, I’ve going through your website for the recipes to be closer to home. I was pleasantly surprised to see that you are/were here!

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:43:35 +0000

I chanced upon an impromptu performance by a visting group of Balkan folk singers here in December 2001 and the good acoustics plus the magical venue made it all very memorable. I was genuinely surprised that it snowed(and really heavily, too) in that part of the world. Being inside was a welcome respite from the bitter cold and the raging snowstorm outside. Did you get to visit a hamam?

By: AnnaP

AnnaP — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:32:46 +0000

beautiful. it looks like a cathedral at first glance.

glad to hear your vacation is going well.

By: corrine

corrine — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:42:10 +0000

awesome!

By: zena

zena — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:57:19 +0000

THIS was a cistern? Wow. They made something so functional beautiful as well. You can have function without sacrificing form…

By: Rowi

Rowi — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:56:31 +0000

Hi MM,

Have been lurking for sometime but it’s always a pleasure reading your posts! Am glad you featured the Basilica Cistern as part of your Istanbul visit. It was one of the highlights of our tour of the city last March after the Topkapi and Aya Sofia. Such calmness and awe prevailed when we gingerly took the slippery steps down into the cistern, after hectic visits to the latter. Did you know that this place was discovered by accident, some hundred years back of course.

Your photos did a good job on the Medusa head. I had a hard time finding an angle which would feature her fine side without ogling tourists vying for her attention.

Cheers!

By: Deedee

Deedee — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:48:30 +0000

Oh wow! The place reminds me of that Lord of the Rings movie when the Fellowship gang was chased by the Balrog inside the mountain.

By: FoodJunkie

FoodJunkie — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:22:53 +0000

I loved the basilica cicstern, MM. Such a magical place, and very beautifully lit too!