The Sunken Basilica

Uncover the sunken remains of a 4th-century basilica in Turkey. Submerged beneath the waters of Lake Iznik for hundreds of years, the church could reveal crucial insights into the early days of Christianity. Join a team of international researchers as they travel back through time—and grapple with Turkey’s many earthquakes, which could sink the structure deeper at any moment.

Archaeologist Mustafa Şahin and geologist Julia de Sigoyer explore the sunken ruins of a 4th-century basilica in Turkey’s Lake Iznik. Of particular interest are the many tombs found along the inside of the building.

Archaeologist Dominik Maschek, a specialist in the architecture of Late Roman Antiquity, completes a 3D reconstruction of the 4th-century basilica that once stood on the shores of Lake Iznik. For Mustafa Şahin, who led the excavation of the basilica’s sunken remains, it is a dream come true to bring the basilica back to life.