Byzantine-era remains of Fethiye Mosque unearthed

The excavation area in front of the Fethiye Mosque, which is being restored by the General Directorate of Foundations of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, will open to the public as an archeopark this year. 

The chapel located right next to the mosque in the Balat neighborhood of the Fatih district will also be reopened as a museum. 

Archaeologist Murat Sav, who provided information about the structure, stated that excavations in front of the building, known as the Pammakaristos Monastery during the Byzantine period, began in 2018. 

'CISTERN DISCOVERED'

Sav noted that during the elevation work within the scope of the excavations, they encountered a different cistern in addition to the one sketched in the 1890s, stating, "During the excavation, we both found the cistern I mentioned and uncovered another cistern with a very different plan, consisting of 3 large consecutive domes, on the eastern facade of the structure, right in front of the point where its apse is located."

'WILL OPEN AS AN ARCHEOPARK'

Stating that various water channels built during the Middle Byzantine period are also located in the excavation area, Sav continued: 

"Generally, the remains here are predominantly structures from the Late Byzantine period. A small bathhouse ruin was also reached. All of these remains here have been projected and their surveys have been completed. Afterward, this area will be opened to service as an archeopark.

I think this is a very important issue for Istanbul. Because the fact that an area where archaeological findings emerge together with the structure in the courtyard of such a building lives on and is opened to tourism is also very important in terms of people evaluating the city from a different perspective."