Archaeologists astounded after discovering secret chamber beneath 1500-year-old Istanbul church

Across the globe, there lie ancient artifacts and architectural marvels waiting to be discovered beneath layers of soil. From submerged cities to buried temples, these remains are the windows to the civilizations of the past that could alter our understanding of history. With each dig and delve, we inch closer to comprehending how our ancestors lived and how civilizations developed over the centuries. Who knows?  There might be stories lying hidden just beneath our feet. In 2023, after a year-long dig, archaeologists uncovered intriguing underground structures beneath the ruins of the Church of St. Polyeuctus in Istanbul, according to Live Science. 

Istanbul, once known to be Constantinople which was the heart of the Byzantine Empire, is filled with rich historical architecture of which the remains of the Church of St. Polyeuctus were a part. This church was constructed between A.D. 524 and 527 and was commissioned by Eastern Roman Princess Anicia Juliana, who wanted to show her supremacy against the Justinian dynasty's reign, as per Anadolu Agency. The princess, who was a religious person, not only emphasized her pedigree by building architectural marvels in Constantinople but also used the church to house the skull of Saint Polyeuctus, according to the Turkish Archaeological News.

Its ornate dome design was so esteemed that it became the inspiration for the famous tourist hotspot in Istanbul, Hagia Sophia. In fact, the Church of St. Polyeuctus was the largest church in Constantinople until the completion of Hagia Sophia in 537. However, the church faced destruction over the centuries, first from an earthquake in the 11th century and then during the 1204 sack of Constantinople by Crusaders. The remains of the church were initially uncovered during a road construction in the 1960s but were covered again for preservation. 

The excavation unearthed two large chambers and a connecting tunnel, dating back approximately 1,500 years. In 2022, as part of a redevelopment initiative aimed at transforming the site into a tourist attraction, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) started re-excavating these chambers and by March 2023, they started preparing it for public view. Mahir Polat, the deputy general secretary of the IBB, told the media channel that the purpose of these subterranean features remains uncertain. Their guess is that these chambers are likely connected to the "church's prothesis" which is an area next to the altar where bread and wine were prepared for the Divine Liturgy, a rite still observed in Eastern Orthodox churches.

Adorned with mosaics, stone inlays, and intricately carved marble, these chambers showcase the remarkable artistic craftsmanship of the time. Despite the destructive forces, the underground structures have survived pretty well and Polat believes that this highlights the longevity of Byzantine constructions. Rahmi Asal, director of Istanbul Archaeology Museums, told Anadolu Agency that the parts of the church destructed by the earthquakes and invasion were utilized in the construction of other religious structures in Istanbul and also in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. "Hopefully, re-displaying the ruins of this historically important and once-magnificent church will bring awareness of it to a much wider audience," Ken Dark, an archaeologist at King’s College London, told the media channel.