3,000 tons of debris cleared as ancient tunnels beneath famous Hagia Sophia are explored

Buried passages become accessible

The debris removal has exposed parts of an underground tunnel network beneath the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The passages had been inaccessible under accumulated material. The work involved roughly 3,000 tons of debris, according to the reported findings. Archaeologists can now reach sections that were previously covered.

Roman-era infrastructure

At an Oct. 16 presentation in Istanbul, archaeologist Hasan Fırat Diker described the tunnels as roughly 1,600 years old. He said they were constructed during the Roman period.

Diker said the network formed part of the city’s water distribution and drainage system. The underground spaces also offered a protected area, he said.

Findings presented in Istanbul

Türkiye Today reported on Diker’s presentation, where the archaeological work was discussed. The newly accessible passages lie beneath one of Istanbul’s historic religious landmarks. The tunnels’ reported age places them before the current Byzantine-era landmark, according to the article. Their exposure provides access to infrastructure that had remained buried beneath the site.