In 2009, a construction crew digging the foundation for a new hotel in Antakya, Turkey, made an astonishing discovery. They uncovered a vast mosaic dating back to Roman times, along with more than 35,000 artifacts spanning some 2,300 years from at least 13 different civilizations. Construction of the hotel was immediately put on hold, while a six-month excavation took place.

The find would have dashed the hopes of any hotelier, but the Asfuroğlu group decided to embrace the challenge, integrating the archeological find into the hotel’s blueprints. Eleven years later, the 200-room Museum Hotel Antakya opened its doors.