UNDERGROUND TUNNELS DISCOVERED BENEATH A 1,500-YEAR-OLD ISTANBUL CHURCH

Beneath the streets and structures of today are the ancient secrets of their cities. Submerged beneath and extending throughout what is now Istanbul, Constantinople is one of the most fascinating ancient cities of the Mediterranean, with intriguing historical peaks emerging from below. The ancient columns that the Roman residents of the city left behind are one example, as is Hagia Sophia, the ancient church that is now a mosque. The intriguing history of the city transcends empires and national boundaries, revealing more and more as archaeologists learn more about what is beneath the city.

Recently, under the ruins of the old Byzantine Church of St. Polyeuctus, a network of tunnels and rooms have been found and are being excavated; these discoveries provide a window into the early history of Christianity. The tunnels are made up of two rooms, a connecting tunnel, and brick arches and walls. The underground complex appears to have been connected to the above-ground church, which was built between 524 and 527 CE under the rule of Emperor Justinian. 

The part of an Orthodox church where the Divine Liturgy is prepared is underground and connected to the prosthesis above ground. The Eastern term for the Eucharist is the Divine Liturgy, which is still observed in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It played a significant role in Byzantine Christianity. Though the precise purpose of these interconnected subterranean chambers is unknown at this time, the surviving mosaics and carvings might eventually provide information.

When the underground complex was first found in the 1960s, it was sealed off with earth to preserve it. Turkish officials plan to transform the above-ground ruins into an archaeological attraction while also revitalising the surrounding area of the city. What followed was the rediscovery of the ruins and the old church. Finally, in 1204, a European crusader attack destroyed the church. A portion of the historic structure was transported and used in other buildings across Europe, including Venice's St. Mark's Basilica.