Byzantine Cistern
Carved out of bedrock by the Byzantines, the Kadifekale cistern had a capacity of 2,650 m3. Many estimate that it was able to serve the water needs of up to 15,000 people. It has an arched and cruciform superstructure supported by 20 elephant legs and 15 buttresses. A passage with stairs was built along the northern wall to allow people to clean and repair it when needed. It continued to cater to the castle up until the 18th or 19th century (Ottoman).
It has attracted the attention of many a traveller throughout history because of its magnificent engineering and architecture. For example, Turkish explorer Kâtip Çelebi wrote, “The old castle has a cistern with 40 poles and an underground section.” French traveller Robert De Dreux, upon his tour of İzmir, had stated, “I saw a very beautiful cistern here. It was built on vaults, just like a church.” Similarly, 18th Century British wanderer and archaeologist Richard Chandler noted, “There is a large cistern. It has an arch supported by buttresses.”
