The local municipality launched restoration work for Aspar or Yavuz Sultan Selim Cistern, an ancient water storage structure built 1,600 years ago in Istanbul’s Fatih district.
The cistern, one of the three “open-air” cisterns in this former capital of the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, will be restored to its former glory, though it may still be overshadowed by Yerebatan or Basilica Cistern, one of the most visited landmarks of Istanbul.
The cistern in this historic district where most ancient landmarks, including Yerebatan, are situated lost its original state over time and appear as an ordinary wall, similar to still-standing ancient city walls for most locals. Once restored, authorities hope it will reclaim at least a historic value which tourists may include their itinerary that encompasses the abundant heritage of Ottomans and Byzantines.
The structure was built by General Aspar, an aristocrat of Goth origin who lived during the reign of Leo I, who is believed to have ordered his execution eventually during a plot against the throne. The cistern is a basic structure composed of five rows of stone blocks combined with five large bricks as thick as 5.2 meters (17 feet). It will be comprehensively restored for the first time in its history. The cistern, which was as deep as 10 meters in its original state, covers an area of 150 by 150 meters.
Art historian Hayri Fehmi Yılmaz said the cistern, named after the Ottoman sultan, due to its proximity to a mosque bearing the name of Selim I, was one of “two such cisterns in Fatih.” “There are three open-air cisterns in Istanbul. One is now used as a football pitch and the other is located in Kocamustafapaşa quarters. These cisterns were used to transfer water collected in reservoirs outside city limits and distribute it to the urban population,” he told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday. He added the cistern, like others, did not function for a long time after supply system “broke down” in the early seventh century. “This place is also known as Çukurbostan (Sunken Garden) as the soil carried by water made this location fertile for agriculture and gardening. It was in an isolated area up until the 16th century when the Ottomans started building a neighborhood around the cistern. The neighborhood, comprising wooden houses surrounded by the Byzantine walls, disappeared over time but we came across its photos dating back to the early 20th century. Its walls are still impressive,” he said.
“Once restored, this cistern and others will be an attraction for Istanbulites. These are unique places, after all. They were an essential part of the city in the past and helped advance civilization. You can better understand how Istanbul flourished through those cisterns,” he added.
