One of the greatest thrills of being in a place like Istanbul is the sense of deep, rich, ancient history that is all around. Things are not always what they seem. You may take a photo of a friend in front of a decorative arch, but it isn't until you look through the viewfinder that you realize the arch is one of dozens stacked to form aqueducts. These artificial rivers were used to supplement the ancient city's very advanced water management system. There were individual and communal cisterns to gather and hold rain water. The largest is known as the Yerebatan Sarayi ("Underground Palace"). It is 360 feet long and 230 feet wide. In many cases these cisterns were supplemented by a system of dams and four aqueduct networks that brought fresh water in from springs miles away and presented it to the people at hundreds community fountains. This was especially important because Istanbul is built on an arid peninsula. The aqueducts also helped the city resist enemies during sieges, while the fountains served a dual purpose as water source and public relations tool for the emperor.

Photograph courtesy Kimberly Kondrat