The Turkish Ministry of Culture is undertaking a cleaning program of the underground spaces of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, aiming to make them accessible to the public. The project includes the restoration of tunnels, vaults, corridors, and a three-room underground tomb beneath the historic structure, according to Haberler.
Professor Dr. Hasan Fırat Diker, a member of the Hagia Sophia Science Council, stated that they have been conducting architectural visualization studies of Hagia Sophia's underground structures for about five years. “Thus, the underground beauty and archaeological findings of Hagia Sophia, which have been neglected for centuries, will be presented to the public's knowledge,” he said, according to T24.
He clarified that all the cleaning processes are planned to last about a year. “Cleaning the underground structures of such an important work as Hagia Sophia will offer Istanbul brand new gains,” Diker remarked, as reported by Anadolu Ajansı.
The underground areas encompass approximately one kilometer of tunnels surrounding Hagia Sophia. These will be opened to visitors after the cleaning work, allowing them to explore the historical significance of the findings under the supervision of the Hagia Sophia Museum archaeological structures, reported Proto Thema.
Diker noted that a large part of the underground structures of Hagia Sophia is as old as the church itself, with some sections contemporary to the temple, which was constructed from 532 to 537 CE, while others are considered older. “The sections located under the portico courtyard are as old as Hagia Sophia, meaning they are 1,500 years old,” he conveyed, according to SKAI.
He further explained that the current cleaning project of the underground structures is “much more comprehensive and long-term” than any previous efforts. “I believe that cleaning these underground structures is very important for the existing air conditioning system of Hagia Sophia and for it to 'breathe' comfortably,” Diker said, as reported by To Vima.
“It is very meaningful and valuable that even a certain part of the existing spaces can be made accessible for visitation, and that those findings, after being carefully filtered under the supervision of the Hagia Sophia Museum archaeological structures, which can shed light on the history of Istanbul, will come to light,” Diker said, according to Newsbomb.
In 2022, Diker guided a crew from the Turkish news agency Anadolu through the underground structures. At that time, he stated that at a depth of four meters, there is a catacomb consisting of three spaces where burials took place from the 4th century CE, and it is the oldest structure in the complex of the Byzantine church.
The existence of this particular underground structure was known since 1946, but it had been inundated with four tons of mud and sediments.
Diker noted the importance of addressing both the superstructure and the infrastructure. “It is pleasing that not only the superstructure but also the infrastructure is being addressed,” he noted, as reported by Akşam.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq