A hole measuring three meters in diameter has appeared in a courtyard of the historic Topkapı Palace in İstanbul, raising concerns about the palace’s durability and future since deep cracks in its basement were also recently brought to the public’s attention.
Experts were trying to determine the cause of the hole’s appearance in a grassy area of the palace’s second courtyard.
The hole is reported to be two meters deep and located 200 meters from the Harem entrance of the palace and in front of the Justice Tower.
Based on expert statements, Turkish media reports suggest that the hole might have been caused by the collapse of archaeological layers below the ground rather than a nature-related occurrence. Experts also warned that the surrounding area in the garden was still at risk.
Deep cracks were recently discovered in the basement of the palace’s treasury pavilion.