The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, is beautiful; more like a cathedral to water, than an underground water storage system. Yet these cisterns served an important functional role. In the event that there was a cut off in supply, they could sustain the cities population for months. Important for the seat of power of the Ottoman Empire.
It was a fitting stop on the BlueTech Research company retreat.
They were built 1,400 years ago, in a year, apparently, albeit with the help of 7,000 slaves!
They were featured in the Bond movie, From Russia with Love! Sean Connery paddling a boat through the arches.
Its existence was forgotten for centuries until a French traveler, Petrus Gyllius, recorded it in 1565.
It was mesmerising to walk through it. A peaceful place where water rested, following its long journey in on the Roman Aqueducts.
In the year 3,400, I wonder which elements of our modern water infrastructure we are building today will be part of such a tour and inspire wonder.
Lake Mead will probably look very different.
Maybe the underground Cathedral in Tokyo, built to store Stormwater. Or the restored Amunas in Peru. Maybe people will marvel, that for two hundred years, it wasn’t possible to swim in the River Seine. Or drink from it.
