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A new visitor center is being planned in Türkiye's Black Sea province of Sinop to display 1,600-year-old floor mosaics and other historical artifacts uncovered at the Balatlar Church Complex, a long-running archaeological excavation site in the city.
The excavation team, led by Turkish art historian Gulgun Koroglu, has been working at the site since 2010 and has brought to light artifacts from several historical periods, including the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman eras.
The mosaics have recently been restored and will be opened to visitors in a specially designed area within the excavation site.
The new visitor center, meaning a dedicated information and exhibition space for guests, will exhibit the mosaics together with other historical objects recovered in the same area.
Sinop Governor Mustafa Ozarslan said the architectural integrity of the Balatlar Church Complex and the archaeological finds made there carry important value for the province’s cultural tourism potential.
He noted that ongoing work at the historical area aims to welcome visitors in a way that is scientifically guided, well-organized, and strictly controlled so that the site can remain protected while people learn about its past.
Ozarslan explained that the project will create “a visitor center design (that) will be created that prioritizes both preservation and visitor management based on the scientific data of the Balatlar Church Complex.”
According to the plan, the visitor center will include exhibition halls, wooden walking paths, elevated viewing platforms, and clearly arranged informational panels, together with a comprehensive signage system to guide people through the site. Signage refers to a coordinated set of signs that directs visitors and explains what they are seeing.
He added that “the center will have a comprehensive layout,” and that its architectural approach will fully harmonize with the historical texture of the area, make use of natural materials, and ensure accessibility for visitors with disabilities so that different groups of people can move through the space and take in the site safely.
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