sunken church!!

Sometimes a simple incident can reveal mysteries that have been buried in the heart of history for centuries. This simple event can be backyard digging or nature photography. Although it is not easy to believe, many historical monuments have been discovered by chance. If you are interested in historical discoveries, you must know the name of Iznik Immersed or sunken Church. Located in the city and Lake Iznik, this church is one of the most important and accidental discoveries of 2014.

Iznik

The city of Iznik is located in the province of Bursa in northwestern Turkey. Iznik is one of the oldest cities in Turkey and is 160 km away from Istanbul. Known as the birthplace of Turkish handmade tales, the city reached its peak during the Ottoman period. Iznik, formerly known as Nicaea, was the site of the first World Council of Christianity. Years later, it was chosen as the capital of the Roman kings, and after the conquest of Constantinople, it became the capital of the Nicene Empire.

 Although Iznik has a history of ups and downs, it is not a big city today, and the most important reason for the importance of Iznik today is the presence of historical and religious monuments and Lake Iznik.

Lake Iznik
Lake Iznik is the fifth largest lake in Turkey and the largest lake in the Marmara region. The depth of this lake reaches 84 meters at the deepest point and it is surrounded by agricultural fields and olive groves.

This beautiful lake, in addition to being one of the well-known attractions of Turkey, is also one of the most important sources of fresh water in Turkey.

Iznik sunken Church
Undoubtedly, the time of the discovery of this church was an exciting moment for its explorers, because even though archaeologists had traveled to this area many times, this church was still hidden from view. But since no work can be hidden forever, this historical work was also discovered and discovered by chance. The discovery, which took place during a photography operation, quickly became one of the top 10 discoveries in 2014 and gained worldwide fame. The church is located 3 meters underwater and 48 meters from the shore of Lake Iznik. Archaeologists have dated the church to around 390 AD.

There are two possible theories as to why the church was built in this place. Some scholars believe that the church was built on the site of the martyrdom of St. Neophytos, one of the most influential figures in the Church of Cyprus, around 303 AD, and some historians speculate that it was built on the temple of Pagani Apollo, the sun god of ancient Greece. , it was made. However, some historical sources suggest that St. Neophytos was killed by a Roman soldier on the shores of Lake Iznik, and his followers built the church as a memorial to him, but it did not stand for more than a century. , Because an earthquake in 740 destroyed the church.

The church sank under Lake Iznik many years later and was hidden from view, and its submerged ruins were forgotten over time until the submerged church was discovered and discovered by photographers in 2014. The area will soon open its doors to the public as the first underwater archeological museum in Turkey.
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