The Basilica Cistern in Art and Literature

The Ottoman Empire, which ruled over Istanbul for centuries, produced a vast collection of miniatures depicting the city's landmarks and daily life. The Basilica Cistern was a popular subject for these miniatures, which were used to illustrate manuscripts, books, and official documents. One notable example is the "Süleymanname," a manuscript commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century that contains a miniature of the cistern. The miniature depicts the cistern's columns and arches, as well as boats floating on its waters, showcasing the cistern's beauty and grandeur.

The Basilica Cistern has also been a subject of Turkish literature. In the novel "The Flea Palace" by Elif Shafak, the cistern is described as "the sunken palace of a sultan."

The novel explores the lives of the residents of an apartment building near the cistern and uses the cistern as a metaphor for the hidden depths of the human psyche.

The Basilica Cistern has also been the subject of many photographs and artworks. Turkish photographer Ara Güler captured the cistern's eerie beauty in a series of photographs in the 1950s, showcasing the cistern's columns and reflections on the water. Contemporary artist Imran Qureshi created a site-specific installation in the cistern in 2014, in which he painted blood-red flowers on the cistern's walls, referencing Istanbul's history of violence and warfare.

The Basilica Cistern features prominently in Dan Brown's bestselling novel "Inferno," in which the protagonist, Robert Langdon, descends into the cistern's depths to uncover a clue. Brown vividly describes the cistern's columns and Medusa's heads, using them to create a sense of mystery and intrigue. The novel has sparked renewed interest in the cistern, with many visitors seeking to see the Medusa heads for themselves.