Archaeologists have discovered a 1,500-year-old secret underground passageway in Istanbul's Saraçhane Archaeological Park. The underground tunnel was found during excavations of the St. Polyeuktos Church complex and is located about 20 meters from the Haşim Işçan Passage. It contains mosaics, stone inlays, carved marble blocks, and reliefs. Despite the city's history of earthquakes, the passageway has withstood the test of time.
According to Mahir Polat, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the Saraçhane Archaeological Park will open to visitors in a month, and excavations will continue while people visit. The discovery offers an opportunity to explain archaeology and the historic structure's significance to the public.
Although the main structure of St. Polyeuktos has been destroyed, its infrastructure remains intact. The passageway's Horasan mortar mixture, which is significant in terms of the technology of that period, has been analyzed in the laboratory, along with other surface samples. Polat believes that the passageway and the St. Polyeuktos complex offer a glimpse into Istanbul's earthquake history and the lessons that can be learned from it.
