Situated in the Historical Peninsula of Istanbul as one of the earliest examples of the water structures of the city with a history of 1600 years, the Şerefiye Cistern does not offer an inscription but is believed to be built during the rule of Theodosius II (408-450) based on the architectural characteristics.

CISTERNS: THE SOURCE OF LIFE OF THE CITY

Istanbul always required structures to store water due to the lack of sufficient sources as well as high population and sieges. The city used exposed and enclosed water reservoirs through the centuries. In this sense, it is known that great structures such as the Şerefiye and Basilica cisterns provided water to the baths of the Great Palace, Nymphaeum and Zeuxippus. Built on a 24m x 40m area with a ceiling up to 11 meters, the Şerefiyes Cistern has 45 sail vaults and 32 columns. All the Corinthian capitals bearing impost blocks were made of the Marmara Island marble brought specially for the cistern. The capitals are decorated with acanthus leaves. The inner walls of the structure were covered with watertight plaster while the corners are curved to ensure pressure resistance. The walls are around 2.5m thick.

THE HIDDEN HERITAGE OF 1600 YEARS

The cistern derives the name from Roman Emperor Theodosius II. Above the cistern rises the Arif Pasa Estate which is believed to be built in the late 18th or early 19th century and was used as the Istanbul Municipality building in 1912. Later on, the building served as the Municipal Services Building of Istanbul and then Eminonu Municipal Building between 1930 and 1984. In 2010, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality demolished the annexes to the Eminonu Municipal Building and revealed the recently-discovered Theodosius Cistern beneath without damage to the historical monument. Compared to the Byzantine infrastructures in Istanbul, the Şerefiye Cistern draws attention with the original floor and well-preserved Corinthian capitals. The surrounding area has been transformed as an archaeological park after the concrete buildings were demolished and a landscape plan was implemented.

THE MEMORY OF 1600 YEARS

The third part offers the collective memory and historical layers of Istanbul with a new interpretation and revives the periods of the Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire on the walls of the cistern. The interpretations are accompanied by icons and Turkish tile art.