Medieval royal treasure found inside Lithuanian church

Royal treasures buried for many years have been found inside the crypts of a Lithuanian church, with crowns and badges belonging to medieval European monarchies.

Crown found inside treasure

The royal treasure was found inside Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania and has not been discovered since the outbreak of World War II in 1939, according to CNN on January 9, citing a press release from the Go Vilnius tourism promotion agency.

Among the treasures is the crown that belonged to Alexander Jagiellon, or Aleksandras Jogailaitis, Emperor of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1461-1506).

A crown, a necklace, a medal, a ring and a coffin tablet belonging to the Polish Queen Elizabeth (1436–1505).

The moment archaeologists retrieved the treasure chest

In addition, archaeologists also found the crown, orb, and jewelry of Polish Queen Barbara Radziwiłł (1520-1551), married to Polish Emperor and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund II Augustus (1520-1572).

"The discovery of the buried coats of arms of Lithuanian and Polish kings is a priceless treasure of history, symbols of Lithuania's long-standing traditions as a state and a sign of Vilnius' status as the capital," said Archbishop of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas.

Medieval royal relics were placed inside the coffins of kings and queens in ancient burial rituals.

The artifacts on display

The treasure was first discovered in 1931 when Vilnius Cathedral was repaired after a flood and revealed a crypt containing the remains of medieval monarchs.

The artifacts were on display until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, when the treasure was hidden before being lost. Several subsequent searches yielded no results until last year.

Using a camera that can see through walls, researchers successfully found the ancient treasure in December 2024. At the time of discovery, the artifacts were still wrapped inside newspaper pages published in September 1939.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tim-thay-kho-bau-hoang-gia-thoi-trung-co-ben-trong-nha-tho-lithuania-185250110102808393.htm