Ancient tunnels beneath famous Hagia Sophia explored after 3,000 tons of debris cleared
Archaeologists have removed roughly 3,000 tons of debris from a centuries-old network of underground tunnels beneath Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia — revealing previously inaccessible passages beneath one of the world's most historic religious landmarks.
Key points
- Researchers have cleared nearly 558 feet of an underground route connected to a fifth-century Roman street, which extends from the Sarayburnu area toward Little Hagia Sophia, Diker said.
- The tunnels have been undergoing excavation and clearing work since February 2025, allowing researchers to explore sections that were previously buried beneath mud and debris.
- TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ The excavation is the latest in a series of archaeological investigations involving ancient underground tunnels around the world.
Hagia Sophia — which means "Holy Wisdom" in Greek — served as a major center of Eastern Christianity for nearly 1,000 years until Ottoman forces conquered then-Constantinople and converted the church into a mosque in 1453.
Additional details
- The burial chambers predate the current Hagia Sophia; they had accumulated large amounts of mud over the centuries, according to Diker.
- 16 presentation, Diker said the roughly 1,600-year-old tunnels were built by the Romans and originally functioned as part of the city's water distribution and drainage network, while also providing a protected underground space.
- CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS Looking ahead, Diker said researchers hope to open more sections of Hagia Sophia's underground network to visitors, with plans for an exhibition showcasing the archaeological remains.
- Some of the underground structures predate the present-day Hagia Sophia, which was completed in 537 A.D.
- In Germany, archaeologists discovered a medieval tunnel beneath a prehistoric burial site after initially mistaking its entrance for a grave.
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