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Ancient Escape Gate in Istanbul Buried in Ground

 

The 1,499-year-old Little Hagia Sophia Poterne, built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I as an escape route on Istanbul’s seaside walls, is now half-buried. Archaeologist Ömer Faruk Yavaşçay explained that the gate once allowed direct access to ships, possibly serving as an escape route during the Ottoman conquest.

Originally built with the Hagia Sergios and Bakhos Church in 526, the gate was later abandoned after the church was converted into a mosque under Sultan Bayezid II. Over time, land reclamation buried the structure, which has since fallen into neglect. Calls for restoration are growing as the site has become a shelter for the homeless and a hotspot for drug use.

 

Semanur Kaygısız – Ahmet Faruk Sarıkoç

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