Basilica Cistern

Underneath a main street, then down a long staircase, I'm awed to see the Yerebetan Cistern for underground water storage. A total of 336 columns support the structures above, a space bigger than two football fields. The cistern was first built under a basilica by 7000 Roman slaves in 542 A.D. Water to fill it was delivered by an aqueduct from 19 km away.

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