A network of tunnels and chambers adorned with mosaics and marble was discovered during excavation work at a church in Istanbul.
Istanbul is one of the world's most historically rich cities, having witnessed the rise and fall of kingdoms, religions, and cultures. Today, it’s a renowned tourist hotspot. Recently, archaeologists discovered a secret underground passageway with attached rooms during their excavations of the 1,500-year-old St. Polyeuctus Church in Saraçhane Archaeology Park, per Live Science.
The hidden structures beneath the ruins are believed to be part of the ancient church. However, the exact purpose of these underground tunnels and rooms remains a mystery to archaeologists.
The subterranean features consist of two large chambers connected by a tunnel and seem to have been linked to the church prothesis — the chamber beside the altar where bread and wine were prepared for the Byzantine rite of the Divine Liturgy. Decorated with mosaics, stone inlays, and carved marble blocks, the underground passage has impressed researchers.
The Church of St. Polyeuctus was constructed when the city of Istanbul, then Constantinople, had Christianity as the empire's official religion. It was built in the years 524-527 by the Eastern Roman Princess Anicia Juliana. She wanted to show power against Emperor Justinianus and his wife Theodora, who succeeded to the throne after him, per Anadolu Ajansi.
The first archaeological excavations of the church were carried out in 1964-1969 by British art historian Professor Martin Harrison and archaeologist Nezih Firatli, per Turkish Archaeological News. Currently, St Polyeuctus is in ruins but work has been carried out to excavate the area to make it a potential tourist attraction.
Mahir Polat, Deputy Secretary-General of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, said that the structure is an excellent example of the city's architecture. It has stood the test of time and the wrath of earthquakes. While the main structure of St. Polyeuktos was destroyed, its infrastructure remains intact. He said, "Istanbul, which is currently struggling with earthquakes, has experienced dozens of earthquakes over the past 1,500 years. However, the structure we are seeing now has managed to survive all earthquakes. We should learn lessons from this," per Daily Sabah. The official added, "The earthquake memory of the city is also here. If you want to see Istanbul's earthquake memory, what happened in the Fatih district is a good example."
Professor Ken Dark, an archaeologist at King's College London who was not part of the excavation project but has previously conducted excavations in Istanbul, said the ruins of St. Polyeuctus are among the best-documented in the city. He said, "Hopefully, re-displaying the ruins of this historically important and once-magnificent church will bring awareness of it to a much wider audience."
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