Скачать или смотреть Cistern of Philoxenos, Istanbul, Turkey

The Cistern of Philoxenos or Binbirdirek Cistern is a man-made subterranean reservoir in Istanbul. It is the second largest cistern after the Basilica Cistern.

The 224 columns, each 14 to 15 meters tall, are made of marble from nearby Marmara Island. Each column is a superposition of two columns, joined by a marble ring.

The cistern was restored by Justinian I in the 6th century, after his palace was completely destroyed in a fire in 475. After the conquest of the city by the Ottomans in 1453, the cistern fell into disuse, and was forgotten until rediscovered during the construction of Fazli Pasha's palace in the 17th century.

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