Istanbul's Basilica Cistern, also called the Sunken Palace in Turkish, is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul. The cistern was originally constructed by Justinian in 532 to supply water to the Byzantine Palace.
A total of 336 columns extend across the space, supporting the roof, which is now the modern day city streets.
One local I met told me a story of how the forgotten cistern was rediscovered in modern times. He said that a Dutch explorer visited in the 1550's to studyByzantine remains. While he explored the neighborhood of the Aya Sofia, he met locals who claimed to catch fish by lowering buckets through the floors of their homes. The archaeologist began to investigate and was able to unearth an entrance to the cistern, with its forest of columns stretching into the darkness.
Hidden in a far corner of the towering columns, are two pillars with the face of Medusa carved into the base. No evidence why just these two, or why sideways, but the urban legend claims that the placement wards off evil. For those unfamiliar, Medusa hails from Greek mythology and is believed to be one of the Gorgons, and her gaze could turn whoever she looked upon to stone. Though however the Greek root of the word means "guardian, protectress." Perhaps this is why the column was placed as it was.
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