•  The author is Poland's Ambassador to Türkiye.

ISTANBUL

The Council of Nicaea (today's İznik), convened in 325 AD, was one of the most pivotal events in the history of Christianity. It was a moment when the early Church convened to resolve key theological disputes, particularly regarding the nature of Christ, and to establish the foundational doctrines that would shape Christianity for centuries. The decisions made at Nicaea were critical in defining the Christian faith and ensuring its unity across the Roman Empire.

However, one key mystery of the Council has remained unsolved: the exact location of the imperial palace where this historic gathering took place. While the Council of Nicaea itself is well documented, the site of the palace where the Church fathers gathered to deliberate remains elusive. This question has captivated historians and archaeologists for centuries.

To address this mystery, the Nicaea325 Project is underway — an ambitious initiative by the Veroli Foundation in Wrocław, Poland, led by Professor Błażej Stanisławski from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as Professor Mustafa Şahin and his team. The primary objective of the Nicaea325 Project is to locate the imperial palace where the historic Council of Nicaea was held in 325 AD, or to prove definitively that the palace is not situated in the areas considered so far.

Beyond the physical search for this important architectural structure, the archaeologists are equally interested in better understanding the broader historical context of the events that took place in İznik. The key aim is to understand the reasons for convening the Council, its proceedings, and its long-term impact, not only through written sources, which are scarce and often subjective, but also through the examination of material culture from the period, which may provide new insights into İznik at the beginning of the 4th century and into the broader history of the Roman Empire and Ottoman Empires.

There are six hypotheses about the location of the imperial palace that will be rigorously tested in the project. The research team employs cutting-edge mapping and measurement techniques such as photogrammetry, LiDAR, thermal imaging, and multispectral imaging, utilizing advanced equipment to gather detailed data. This research is approached with creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration, drawing on expertise from archaeology, history, technology, and related fields.

Polish Archaeologists' involvement in Türkiye

Polish archaeologists have been playing a pivotal role in the study and excavation of ancient cities in Türkiye, contributing significantly to our understanding of the region's rich archaeological heritage. One notable example is the Bathonea Project in Istanbul, which aims to uncover the ancient port located on the shore of Küçükçekmece Lake. Led by Professor Stanisławski, in collaboration with Kocaeli University, this project uses cutting-edge techniques to shed new light on the history of the region and its role in antiquity. Another prominent Polish-led initiative is the Archaeological Expedition at Çatalhöyük, one of the most important Neolithic sites in the world, led by Professor Arkadiusz Marciniak.

Through their collaboration with Turkish institutions, Polish researchers bring advanced methodologies and innovative approaches that contribute not only to the discovery but also to the preservation of the shared cultural heritage of both nations. I am particularly pleased to see the cooperation between Professor Błażej Stanisławski and Professor Mustafa Şahin in the search for the imperial palace in Nicaea (İznik). I am confident that Türkiye still holds many extraordinary secrets waiting to be uncovered, and that the cooperation between Polish and Turkish researchers will prove highly effective in unraveling them. We are also waiting for Turkish archaeologists​​​​​​​ to start joint projects in Poland.

*Opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Anadolu's editorial policy.