source – topontiki.gr (with material from Turkish newspaper yenisafak – link here)
The mysterious underground world of Hagia Sophia: A labyrinth of tunnels and catacombs comes to light after 15 centuries
The treasures that Hagia Sophia hides in its underground and that will soon be opened to the public are mentioned in an extensive report, “dressed” with photographic material, by Yeni Safak.
Specifically, under the glorious temple, Hagia Sophia hides an entire world, in the basements of the monument, which the Turkish Ministry of Culture has begun to clean in order to open them to visitors.
Professor Dicker, who is a member of a committee of scientists overseeing the temple, said in his statements that an architectural visualization study of the basements of Hagia Sophia was conducted about five years ago.
Some parts of the underground structures are contemporary with the temple, which was built from 532 to 537 AD. However, there are also parts that are considered older than the structure of the temple.
“The underground beauties and archaeological finds of Hagia Sophia, which have been neglected for centuries, will be presented to the public,” Dicker added.
The cleaning work, Dicker said, will last a year. The current effort, he explained, is more comprehensive and long-term than previous ones, and he added that it will further increase “interest and love for Hagia Sophia.”
Dungeons and tunnels have prehistoric middle eastern tradition