Cistern of Theodosius: Story of History, Art and Technology

At the Cistern of Theodosius, locally known as Serefiye Sarnici,  we take our visitors through a matchless adventure in which 1600 years bringing together history art and technology. Our cistern, located in the heart of Istanbul’s Historical Peninsula, offers a one-of-a-kind experience as ancient Byzantine architecture comes to life with a unique 360° projection mapping, extraordinary in the world for a structure of this age. It allows the visitors to travel through time, enjoying the most captivating shows, each with a blend of cutting-edge technology and timeless beauty from ancient crafts.

Two iconic projection mapping shows turn the visit to the museum into a many-dimesional experience: The “From Past to Present” show, with 3D effects highlighting the spatial qualities of Serefiye Cistern takes you away on a journey through the water heritage of Istanbul while making you admire to the architectural greatness of the building. From the Byzantine to the Ottoman Empires, this is a show depicting a complex water system that has sustained Istanbul since millennia. It is like history coming alive on the mosaics, icons, and Ottoman ceramic visuals in the cistern.

The second is “Istanbul: City of Water Civilization”, which goes into depth with regard to the relationship between Istanbul and its water, therefore shedding light on the evolution of Istanbul as a “city of water” since time began. It develops hosting experiences that disclose their special historical and cultural dimensions for Istanbul’s exceptional status as a city.

Whether you are an art enthusiast, a history lover, or just a curious soul willing to uncover one of the best-kept secrets of Istanbul, Cistern of Theodosius will take you to an unforgettable atmosphere, allowing you to travel eternally in history, culture, and technology. Come and relive the historic charm of Istanbul with a truly modern twist!

Domande frequenti

Fu costruita durante il regno dell’imperatore romano d’Oriente (bizantino) Teodosio II, nel V secolo d.C., motivo per cui porta il suo nome.

Risale al V secolo d.C., costruita all’incirca tra il 428 e il 443, il che le conferisce circa 1.600 anni ed è una delle cisterne più antiche conservate a Istanbul.

Fungeva da serbatoio sotterraneo coperto che immagazzinava e distribuiva l’acqua per Costantinopoli, la capitale bizantina, alimentata attraverso il sistema di acquedotti della città.

La cisterna è sostenuta da file di colonne di marmo sormontate da capitelli corinzi che reggono volte in mattoni, una forma caratteristica dell’ingegneria delle cisterne bizantine.

In turco è conosciuta come Serefiye Sarnici. I nomi Cisterna di Teodosio e Cisterna di Serefiye si riferiscono alla stessa struttura bizantina.

Dopo un ampio restauro, è stata riaperta come spazio culturale ed espositivo nel 2018, consentendo ai visitatori di esplorare lo spazio sotterraneo.

Si trova nel distretto di Fatih, sulla penisola storica di Istanbul, in Piyer Loti Cd. No:2/1, vicino a Sultanahmet e Cemberlitas.