For centuries, the remains of a former Byzantine church have remained hidden beneath the medieval layers of the Yivli Minare Mosque in Antalya. Yet evidence of this Christian past has not disappeared. It lies scattered in the open. The Yivli Minare Mosque and the Seljuk walls of Kaleiçi preserve clues to an earlier structure on this hilltop. Now, newly exposed areas from excavations around Yivli Minare invite us to look again at what once stood here.
The excavations reveal more of a medieval complex constructed over an earlier Byzantine Christian structure. As archaeologists uncover new areas and identify objects associated with the site, they provide an opportunity to ask an important question: What can these discoveries tell us about the Byzantine church known as St. John’s Church and the Christian community that once occupied this prominent place in Antalya?
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