Editing Basilica Cistern (section)

==In popular culture==
The cistern was used as a location for the [[1963 in film|1963]] [[James Bond]] film ''[[From Russia with Love (film)|From Russia with Love]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=James Bond and Karim at Cistern|url=https://spymovienavigator.com/filmclip_type/james-bond-and-karim-at-cistern/|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Spy Movie Navigator|language=en-US}}</ref> In the film, it is referred to as having been constructed by the Emperor Constantine, with no reference to Justinian, and is fictitiously located under the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] consulate. In reality it is a long way away from the former Soviet (now Russian) consulate in [[Beyoğlu]].

The cistern plays a key role in [[Dorothy Dunnett]]'s historical novel ''Pawn in Frankincense (1969),'' fourth volume of ''[[Lymond Chronicles|The Lymond Chronicles]].''

In the fantasy series [[Old Kingdom (book series)|The Old Kingdom]], the reservoir beneath the palace in Belisaere was inspired by the cistern.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=garthnix|number=1597364430727413761|title=While the reservoir under the palace in Belisaere (in my Old Kingdom books) was inspired by Yerebatan Sarnici in Istanbul, I didn't know there was something similar, if more modern, not far away from home in Sydney, now the Tank Gallery of the AGNSW. Might be handy for filming 🤞|author=Garth Nix|author-link=Garth Nix|access-date=2022-12-01}}</ref>

The finale of the [[2009 in film|2009 film]] ''[[The International (2009 film)|The International]]'' takes place in a fantasy amalgam of the Old City, depicting the Basilica Cistern as lying beneath the [[Sultan Ahmed Mosque]], which, in the film, is directly adjacent to the [[Süleymaniye Mosque]].{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

In the 2011 video game, ''[[Assassin's Creed: Revelations]]'', the player-controlled character, [[Ezio Auditore]], is given the chance to explore a section of this cistern in a memory sequence entitled The Yerebatan Cistern.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ign.com/wikis/assassins-creed-revelations/Memory_6_-_The_Yerebatan_Cistern |title=Memory 6 - The Yerebatan Cistern |date=24 December 2011 |access-date=30 May 2018 |work=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis, LLC]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/5840188/see-the-real-places-youll-go-in-the-next-assassins-creed |title=See The Real Places You'll Go in the Next Assassin's Creed |last=Totilo |first=Stephen |date=14 September 2011 |access-date=30 May 2018 |work=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Gizmodo Media Group]]}}</ref>

The cistern also features in [[Jean-Baptiste Andrea]]'s film thriller ''Brotherhood of Tears'' (2013). In the sequence, the lead character, acting as a transporter (played by [[Jeremie Renier]]), delivers a suitcase to a mysterious client (played by Turkish actor Ali Pinar).

The cistern with its inverted Medusa pillar featured in the 2013 [[Dan Brown]] novel ''[[Inferno (Brown novel)|Inferno]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enjoy-istanbul.com/archeology/dan-brown-brings-more-visitors-to-basilica-cistern/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207015851/http://www.enjoy-istanbul.com/archeology/dan-brown-brings-more-visitors-to-basilica-cistern/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=February 7, 2014 |title=Dan Brown draws visitors Basilica Cistern |last=Guillet |first=Marc |date=5 May 2015 |access-date=30 May 2018 |work=Enjoy Istanbul}}</ref> (as well as its [[Inferno (2016 film)|2016 film adaptation]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Istanbul's Basilica Cistern on silver screen with 'Inferno' |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/istanbuls-basilica-cistern-on-silver-screen-with-inferno-104831 |date=12 October 2016 |access-date=30 May 2018 |newspaper=[[Hurriyet Daily News]] |publisher=Muro Media}}</ref>

The cistern is featured in [[Age of Empires IV]] as one of the two Castle Age Landmarks of the Byzantines, named Cistern of the First Hill