Istanbul's Basilica Cistern Reopens After Major Restoration

On July 22, 2022, the Yerebatan Sarnici (Basilica Cistern) in Istanbul reopened after a comprehensive restoration and redevelopment project initiated in 2018. The Byzantine-era underground water reservoir, dating to Emperor Constantine and expanded by Justinian in 532, now features a new visitor walkway and lighting design. The restoration was carried out by Hera Restorasyon, while the musealization project was led by Atelye 70 of Istanbul in collaboration with Rome-based Insula architettura e ingegneria and Studioillumina. The new walkway, spanning 350 meters and covering 1,400 square meters, replaces the old reinforced concrete path with lightweight metal bridges that allow visitors to walk just above the water. The lighting concept by Studioillumina uses over 750 fixtures to create a narrative journey: the outward path evokes an Eastern miniature-inspired forest with backlit columns, while the return path reveals the cistern's three-dimensional architecture. Colors shift from aquamarine to amber, inspired by the zultanite gemstone. The project was commissioned by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Department of Cultural Heritage (IBB), with Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu as promoter. Until September 2022, works by Turkish artists are on display at the site. Concurrently, at Arter Dolapdere, Bill Fontana's sound installation 'Resounding Io' interprets sounds from the cistern.