Reflective Water Pool

See the reflective waters of Basilica Cistern in İstanbul—once a lifeline for the city, now a captivating visual feature and top attraction in Turkey.

Although the cistern no longer stores water for the city, it maintains a shallow pool that reflects the light and the towering columns, creating surreal mirror-like views. Historically, the cistern could hold up to 80,000 cubic meters of water, fed from the Belgrade Forest via aqueducts. Today, the water serves more of an aesthetic function. Small fish can be seen swimming, and the reflective qualities add to the haunting beauty of the space. The pool is essential to the immersive experience and offers some of the most photogenic scenes in İstanbul tourism.