Istanbul: The Formation of a Cultural Mecca
Another site very similar to the example of Boston’s aquarium would be the Basilica Cistern, in Istanbul, Turkey. In a city which seems to be paving over its historical and cultural treasures in pursuit of modernization and globalization, the Basilica Cistern sits at the heart of Istanbul, and has become a well preserved relic of old Turkey, or of the city under Byzantine and Ottoman rule nearly 2,000 years previously. However, over the centuries, its use has markedly matured and evolved to fit the needs of the citizens at the time.
In the Omeka exhibit “The Basilica Cistern and the Transformation of Istanbul,” the transformation of the cistern is the central topic. However, unlike with the aquarium, much of the transformation with the cistern has been a transformation into decay, with only later revival. The exhibit documents how the Basilica Cistern was first constructed to provide water to the Great Palace during Byzantine times. However, the cistern largely fell out of use once the Ottoman’s took control and used their own modern irrigation system. The cistern’s turn to decay and misuse transformed the cistern into a dumping ground, full of waste and dirty water. Although in a negative light, this decay still reflects the use, or lack thereof, of the people and of society towards the cistern. Unlike with the aquarium, where the space was in demand for a pedestrian and city center to eat, shop, and live, the underground cistern largely served no purpose to the Ottomans, and therefore went defunct. However, over the past century especially, the site has once again found its purpose. After being rediscovered, cleaned, and thoroughly renovated, the Basilica Cistern has been transformed and modernized into a tourist attraction to showcase the Istanbul, or Constantinople of old. Playing to the modern purpose of service as a tourist attraction during growing times of travel due to increased interconnectedness at the hands of globalization, the site caters to visitors and residents alike, and provides us with a look deep into a past era that has become increasingly unfamiliar. Unlike the aquarium, while the cistern does not provide a conventional meeting spot for citizens, it does provide for a meeting spot for visitors and students, and acts as a historical gem in what has now become the cultural epicenter of Istanbul, full of tourists and profiting merchants alike, ultimately proving beneficial for the city as a whole.
The cistern very much does embody the idea of a “public realm” described by Sennett. Furthermore, along with the other cultural centers around, it embodies the idea of a vibrant, dense center. In this case, the cistern, along with structures like the Hagia Sofia, combine to make this particular part of Istanbul a dense tourist and consumer center, more geared towards flaunting the rich culture of Istanbul. Regardless, spots like the Basilica Cistern provide a public spot for strangers to meet and learn from one another. Additionally, the cistern embodies Sennett’s idea of closure, at least temporarily throughout its long history. While now the structure has modernized for the city’s tourist and cultural use, it was stuck without purpose for much of its past. This speaks to Sennett’s idea of closure, in that the structure could not manifest in response to changing conditions, and it could not adapt to its new environment, partially because it was the very essence of the new Ottoman environment that caused the site to fall out of use.
- Paulhus, Derek. The Basilica Cistern and the Transformation of Istanbul. Omeka RSS, n.d. Web. 09 Dec. 2016.
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Sennett, Richard. The Public Realm. Blackwell City Reader, Second Edition. 2012. Ed. Gary Bridge & Sophie Watson.