Basilica that sank 1600 years ago after an earthquake reappeared from the water

= «https://usa.one/2020/06/zatonuvshaya-1600-let-nazad-posle-zemletryaseniya-bazilika-vnov-poyavilas-iz-vody/» class = «article-content clearfix»> Basilica that sank 1600 years ago after an earthquake reappeared from the waterBasilica that sank 1600 years ago after an earthquake reappeared from the water

One of the few benefits of quarantine is the impact it has on the environment — people now enjoy clean air and water in many parts of the world.

A recent example is from Turkey , where the remains of a sunken 1600-year-old basilica are visible from the water again.

Photos show the crystal clear waters of Lake Iznik in the northwestern part of the country, while a Byzantine-era basilica is just meters away.

The ruins were first discovered in 2014 and are an architectural example of early Christianity. At the time of its opening, the Archaeological Institute of America named the basilica one of the top 10 discoveries of the year.

Historians believe that the basilica was built in 390 AD in honor of Saint Neophytos, a Christian saint who was martyred in 303 AD.

However, the church collapsed in an earthquake around 740 AD. and sank in the lake.

Uludag University professor Mustafa Shahin told Live Science that he was surprised by this finding, as he had been doing research in Iznik for many years.

“When I first saw a photo of the lake, I was very surprised to see such a clear structure of the church. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw this beauty in the waters under the helicopter, ”added Professor Shahin.

Archaeologists also have an assumption that under the basilica there are remains of an earlier, still pagan, temple.

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