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Asharq Al-Awsat
Asharq Al-Awsat
Lifestyle
Asharq Al-Awsat

Mystical Water Underworld of Past Empires Reopens in Istanbul

The 1,500-year-old Basilica Cistern has reopened in Istanbul after a five-year restoration Yasin AKGUL AFP

Justinian the Great would have been proud.

The Basilica Cistern he built for the capital of his Eastern Roman Empire in modern-day Istanbul has reopened after a five-year makeover that has transformed the water storage site into a refreshingly cool haven of underground sound and light.

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