Newsletters
A vast Roman-era floor mosaic measuring about 400 square meters has been uncovered in Iznik, Bursa, Türkiye, shortly after the headline-making discovery of a basilica (an early Christian church building) beneath the bed of Iznik Lake.
The site is under tight security, and teams are carrying out excavation and cleaning in strict confidentiality, with police and municipal officers guarding the area around the clock. The mosaic was filmed by drone for the first time by IHA.
Following the basilica’s discovery, specialists intensified work on an area where Roman-period mosaic remains were first noticed during sewer infrastructure works in 2014.
The new excavations have now revealed a single, extensive floor mosaic. Experts are evaluating whether this paved space could mark the entrance to a palace connected to Nicea, often described as the “queen” of Iznik.
The Iznik Museum Directorate has declared the zone a public area and is leading the works, which locals and historians are closely following. Even so, access has been restricted during the sensitive phase of excavation and cleaning, and patrols continue nonstop to protect the remains while documentation proceeds.
After the basilica find, Pope Francis had announced plans to come to Iznik. He passed away on April 21, 2025. The American cardinal Robert F. Prevost was then elected and took the name Pope Leo XIV, and he announced that he would visit the historic city on November 27.
The forthcoming program has coincided with heightened cultural and archaeological activity across the area.
Archaeologists underline the artistic and historical importance of the mosaic and expect Iznik to draw wider international interest as the papal trip approaches. With controlled fieldwork, continuous security, and first drone images now recorded, the site has begun to come into focus while researchers work through the layers with care.
2 min read
