A look inside Istanbul's restored Basilica Cistern
STORY: The cistern was reopened to visitors in late July following a restoration period to erect steel rods and install a light show that highlights the hidden details inside the underground chamber.
The underground water chamber located near Hagia Sophia was built in 542 by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in order to supply water to the city. It is still kept with little water for public access inside the cistern which is famous for sculptures of upside-down heads of Medusa carved under two columns.
The Basilica Cistern was the setting for a scene in the 1963 James Bond film "From Russia with Love".
