Yerebatan Cistern which is located in the Sultan Ahmet district, was built in 542 during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in order to supply water to the Great Palace located on the other side of the Hippodrome.
After the conquest of Istanbul, the presence of the cistern was not noticed for about a hundred years; and was eventually discovered by the people who caught fish by lowering baskets through the holes above the cistern.
The thin brick archways of the grand hall are supported by 136 columns in Corint Style. This cistern has an interior length of 145 meters and a width of 65 meters. It covers an area of approximately 9800 meters. The restaurant and cafe inside the museum provides a different atmosphere for the visitors and the accompanying music makes the visits more pleasurable.