Sultanahmet Part I

Sultanahmet Part I

When Ann Nevans, the owner of the Empress Zoe Hotel, invited me to stay as her guest and visit Sultanahmet after I wrote about it in my piece for the Guardian, I jumped at the chance. Being a travel writer most people imagine I spend my days wandering around Istanbul playing tourist and journeying to…

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Serefiye Cistern – The Legacy of Theodosius II

Emperor Theodosius II who ruled Constantinople from 428 to 443 AD, began construction of a water depot with the aim of supplying water to the inhabitants of what is now called Istanbul. Fresh water was drawn from Belgrade Forest and its surrounds and distributed to the city by a 250km long series of canals leading…

Yerebatan Basilica Cistern

Yerebatan Basilica Cistern

It’s hard to believe now, but the Yerebatan Basilica Cistern, once the major water supply of Constantinople, was lost to Istanbul until the 16th century. As recorded by Ogier de Busbecq, a visitor to the city heard rumours of locals fishing from their basements and went to see. The visitor, French scholar Petrius Phyllius, found…