The crown was found inside the treasure
The royal treasure was found inside Vilnius Cathedral in Lithuania and has not been discovered since World War II broke out in 1939, according to CNN on January 9, citing a press release from the promotional agency. Go Vilnius travel.
Among the treasures can be mentioned the crown belonging 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 stele belonging to Polish Queen Elizabeth (1436–1505).
The time archaeologists retrieved the treasure chest
In addition, archaeologists also found the crown, ball, 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 the kings of Lithuania and Poland are priceless treasures of history, symbols of Lithuania’s long tradition as a state and a sign of Vilnius’s status as capital. “, according to Vilnius Archbishop Gintaras Grušas.
Artifacts symbolizing medieval kingship were placed inside the coffins of kings and queens according to ancient burial rituals.
Antiquities are on display
The above 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 antiques were on display until World War II broke out in 1939. At that time, the treasure was hidden before being lost. Several subsequent search efforts yielded no results until last year.
Thanks to a camera shooting through the wall, researchers successfully found the ancient treasure in December 2024. At the time they were found, the artifacts were still wrapped inside newspaper pages published in September 1939.
