In Turkey, 6th-century church discovered on site of ancient Roman hospital

Archaeological excavations in the ancient town of Kaunos, located in the Turkish province of Mugla. Photo: Anadolu Agency

In October 2025, during excavations in the ancient city of Kaunos, located in the Turkish province of Mugla, archaeologists discovered a building that served as a hospital during the Roman era and was converted into a church during the period of Christianization. This was reported by the agency Anadolu.

According to Associate Professor Ufuk Çörtük of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, who leads the excavations, the team has been working in a Late Antique complex within the monastery area for the past three years. The lower level of the structure, dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, functioned as a Roman valetudinarium, a military hospital that later treated civilians as well.  According to him, later, in the VI century, the building was converted into a Christian sanctuary, which was an unexpected discovery for specialists.

Archaeologists noted that the church has been well preserved. The found architectural elements and cult objects indicate the important role of this place in the religious life of the region during the early Christian era.

The complex continued to be used in subsequent centuries: among the artifacts, a coin from the time of the Aydinid principality of the XIII–XIV centuries was found, indicating the long existence of the site. Researchers call this discovery one of the most significant archaeological finds of recent months in Asia Minor.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Turkey, archaeologists discovered a baptistery from the early Christian period.

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