Cistern

The restoration of a nearly 2,800-year-old water cistern from the Urartu period, found within Harput Castle in Türkiye's eastern Anatolia region, has been successfully finalized.

In an upcoming exhibition, Istanbul's Basilica Cistern will host a collection of 22 predominantly crystal artworks by contemporary Czech sculptors Vlastimil Beránek and Jaroslav Prošek, set within its ancient, 1,500-year-old historical ambiance.

The 2,500-year-old water cistern unveiled during the excavations in the Harput Castle in the eastern province of Elazığ, will be brought to tourism.

The excavation works carried out under the leadership of Prof. Dr. İsmail Aytaç, a faculty member at Fırat University, in the Harput Castle have been continuing for 10 years.

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has initiated efforts to reintroduce the cistern system, which was used centuries ago for the purpose of storing water, to combat the recently increasing floods across the country.

Renovation work has begun for a nearly 300-year-old cistern in Taksim Square in the heart of Istanbul.

The cistern, also known as "the Maksem," was revamped in 2008 and served as the Taksim Republic Art Gallery for years. It has been a favorite spot for visiting tourists for taking pictures.

Following the last year's discovery of four interconnected cisterns, out of which two have already been unearthed in the ancient city of Metropolis in İzmir's Torbalı district, efforts will be made to unearth the rest two this year in a bid to bring them into cultural tourism.

Located between Yeniköy and Özbey neighborhoods, Metropolis is known as the "City of Mother Goddess."

The Cultural Heritage Preservation Board has approved a structural strengthening plan for the Basilica Cistern presented by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality 66 days ago, according to daily Milliyet.

"When the formal decision is delivered to us, we will start the renovation process in the Basilica Cistern," said Mahir Polat, secretary-general of the municipality.

On its 30th year, archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Metropolis continue to reveal the secrets of history. This year the excavations, headed by Manisa Celal Bayar University Archeology Department academic Professor Serdar Aybek, unearthed four monumental structures which are connected to each other.

A 2,000-year-old ancient city in İzmir's Ödemiş district, Hypaipa, will be added to Turkey's trove of tourism destinations as excavations there have been ongoing.

The ancient city of Kilistra, which was inhabited in the 3rd century B.C. and draws attention for its Cappadocia-like texture, is home to a cross-planned chapel, the Hyacinth (Sümbül) Church, and a large water cistern. (AA Photo)