Animals such as horses, elephants, panthers and a gryphon -- a mythological creature -- are depicted on the mosaics, which have brought the city its reputation.
Also, the excavations uncovered skeletons in rock tombs, ancient coins, hairpins made of bones, a unguentarium -- teardrop bottle -- and a tomb dating back to the 2nd century, as well as a 1,800-year-old votive plaque.
Portable findings of the excavations are distributed to museums in surrounding cities, while the immobile findings, such as the mosaics on the floor of the church, are preserved where they are found.
Hadrianopolis is getting more famous every day and people from all corners of the world are visiting the site, Çelikbas told Anadolu Agency.
It was apparently an important religious center based on the findings, which would render this city even more attractive, he said.
He also said: "Hadrianopolis has massive importance not only for Eskipazar but also for Anatolia. It completes the framework of Safranbolu, is a city reflecting the Ottoman era very vividly.
"Hadrianopolis also reflects the era before the Ottoman period, which makes the site very significant, revealing a historical process since the 1st century B.C." he added.
Çelikbaş said Hadrianopolis is located on one of the legs of a significant tourism route, while Safranbolu constitutes its other leg.
It is very important that Hadrianopolis is gaining archeological site status, Çelikbaş stressed, adding: "Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has given us the good news that he would support the plea for Hadrianopolis gaining archeological site status.
[...] Tourists coming to visit Safranbolu would also spend time in Hadrianopolis, which would, in turn, raise Karabük's tourism revenue."
