Roman water heritage in Izmit lost among houses and weeds

KOCAELI

The visible section might be only part of a much larger underground complex, potentially comparable in scale to the Basilica Cistern, officials say.

An ancient Roman cistern in the northwestern province of Kocaeli’s İzmit district, believed to have had the capacity to supply water to around 170,000 people, has become largely hidden among residential buildings and overgrown vegetation, with calls growing for its restoration and inclusion in the region’s tourism attractions.

Located in the Cedit neighborhood, the In Bayırı Cistern dates back to the fourth century A.D. and was an important part of the water supply system serving the ancient city of Nicomedia, as İzmit was known in antiquity. The structure reportedly received water from the Pasasuyu spring, located about 22 kilometers away, through a network of 21 aqueducts.

Water was stored in the cistern before being distributed to public baths, houses, military facilities and palaces throughout the city. Historical accounts suggest that the structure may have been commissioned by former Byzantine Emperor Diocletian, although other accounts point to an earlier origin. French archaeologist and traveler Charles Texier also mentioned the cistern during his visit to İzmit in 1834.

The structure was registered as a protected cultural asset by the Cultural Heritage Preservation Board in 1987. However, neglect and unplanned urban development have left much of it surrounded by buildings and wild vegetation.

Akın Ülkü Sevinç, chairman of the board of the Art Nicomedia Culture and Arts Association, said the cistern served as a water collection and storage facility during the Roman and Byzantine periods.

“Water reserves from rainfall and springs were collected here and distributed to the places where they were needed. The source of the In Bayırı Cistern was Pasasuyu, about 22 kilometers away. According to research, water was transported here through 21 aqueducts before being distributed to baths, houses, military facilities and palaces,” he said.

Sevinç said research indicated that the cistern had enough capacity to meet the water needs of 170,000 people.

“Imagine a facility storing enough water for the needs of 170,000 people. We are probably standing inside only one section of a much larger structure,” he said.

Sevinç said stone and brick were used in the construction of the cistern and that six main water routes had been identified through research in the area.

He added that the visible section might be only part of a much larger underground complex, potentially comparable in scale to Istanbul’s Basilica Cistern.

“As far as we know, we are currently inside just one section. This is probably part of a much larger structure. If you picture the Basilica Cistern, you can imagine how enormous this complex might be. We do not yet know whether it extends further to the east, west, north or south,” he said.

Sevinç recalled that Nicomedia served as the capital of the Roman Empire between A.D. 284 and 330 and was once home to numerous monumental structures, including temples, a hippodrome, a theater, monumental fountains, baths and gymnasiums.

However, earthquakes, looting and unplanned urban development over the past seven to eight decades have resulted in the loss of much of the city’s ancient heritage.

Sevinç said restoring the cistern could make a significant contribution to İzmit’s tourism potential, adding that a restoration project and funding plan should be prepared as a first step.

“It is currently in ruins, as you can see. If restored, it could become an attraction that would make a major contribution to the city’s tourism. Perhaps thousands or even hundreds of thousands of tourists would visit. Scientific research into this cistern could also reveal many historical and archaeological details,” he said.

He called for the site to be rescued from its current neglected condition through restoration and a comprehensive conservation project, expressing hope that İzmit would one day receive the archaeological, historical and tourism recognition its ancient heritage deserves.