The Binbirdirek Cistern (Binbirdirek Sarnıcı), also known as the Cistern of Philoxenos, is the second largest Byzantine cistern in Istanbul after the Basilica Cistern. It lies hidden beneath the Sultanahmet district, west of the Hippodrome, and is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm according to its official website. Its Turkish name means "a thousand and one columns", a way of saying they are countless: the 64 m by 56 m hall, more than 3,000 m², had 224 of them, 212 of which have survived. Attributed to the senator Philoxenos, a contemporary of Constantine in the 4th century, then restored under Justinian in the 6th century, it could store about 40,000 m³ of water. Less crowded than its neighbour, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to visit.
Highlights
The hall of columns
The marble columns, set in 16 rows, carry brick vaults under warm lighting. Unlike the Basilica Cistern, the hall is dry and you walk at floor level among the shafts, which gives a different sense of the space.
The central pit
Each column is in fact made of two shafts set one on top of the other and joined by a marble ring, for a total height of 14 to 15 m. As the floor has been raised, only the upper part is usually visible; in the middle of the hall, an excavated pit around four columns shows their original height.
The stonemasons' marks
Most of the columns and capitals, made of marble from Marmara Island, bear engraved Greek letters, thought to be the signatures of the stone-cutting workshops. The capitals, shaped like truncated pyramids, are undecorated.
From workshops to event venue
Having dried up over time, the cistern was used as a workshop from the 16th century. Restored and linked to the street by a gallery, it now hosts receptions, workshops and exhibitions as well as visitors, with a small café and shops.
Infos pratiques
Tips
The cistern's operator does not publish a price list on its official website and the amounts quoted online vary widely: check the price shown at the ticket office (no price confirmed in October 2026). The official website states that it is closed on Sundays, while some recent guides list it as open daily: at the weekend, it is best to check before you go. As the cistern can be booked for private events, contact it in advance if your visit is planned for a fixed time. To compare the city's cisterns, the Cistern of Theodosius is less than ten minutes away on foot.
How to get there
Binbirdirek Mahallesi, İmran Öktem Caddesi, 34122 Fatih, Istanbul. Tram T1, Sultanahmet or Çemberlitaş stop, about a 5-minute walk away. The entrance is on İmran Öktem Caddesi, opposite the former Sultanahmet courthouse. To combine the visit with the nearby monuments, see our Sultanahmet guide.
Opening hours
Nearby
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