In 1984 while digging 12 meters underground for the foundations of the Antik Hotel, workers happened across the remains of a built structure. Investigations carried out by staff of the istanbul Archaeological Museum determined the structure to be that of a Late Roman-Early Byzantine (450-500 A.D) cistern and its infrastructure.
Another Ottoman era structure had been built over the original cistern. Following restoration work, the historical cistern was brought back to life and transformed into the Antik Cisterna a facility that combines culture, art and history.
