Ancient Church Discovered Under Turkish Lake: St. Neophytos Basilica St. Neophytos Basilica, Nicaea. Credtis: Arkeofili/Public Domain The remains of a 1,500-year-old basilica constructed in honor of St. Neophytos have now emerged after water levels in Lake Iznik in the province of Bursa had dropped recently, the newspaper Daily Sabah reports. The basilica in northwest Turkey, hidden underwater for centuries and believed to be dating back to the 4th or 5th century AD, was discovered after aerial photographs of the lake were taken, revealing the submerged ruins of the Byzantine church, only 20 meters from the banks of the lake. Underwater discovery of the St. Neophytos Basilica