Czech crystal sculptures to decorate Istanbul’s ancient Basilica Cistern

One of Istanbul's most sought-after landmarks, the underground Basilica Cistern, will feature an exhibition of mostly crystal artworks by Czech sculptors Vlastimil Beránek and Jaroslav Prošek.

The showcase, which gets underway on July 31, is co-organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Istanbul, and will run until November 30.

The ancient cistern was built in the 6th century during the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian I. It has a capacity of 80 thousand tons of water and covers an area of approximately 10,000 square metres. Today it is kept with little water, for public access inside the space.