What Lies Beneath Constantinople?

When arches collapsed beneath Constantinople’s houses, they revealed a vast underground reservoir. A boat had once been moored inside.

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Called Yere-Batan Serai, the cistern was reached through a house, down a steep slope, into a hall of massive circular arches.

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Its roof rested on marble columns set about ten feet apart. Their avenues ran in every direction, fading into darkness.

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Around 1830, an English traveller rowed beyond the entrance light and vanished with the waterman. The book suggests foul air or getting lost among the columns.

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A later explorer travelled straight for about two hours, still seeing only water, roof and columns. The book leaves the cistern’s full extent and history uncertain.

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The World Of Wonders

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