Remains of a church and numerous artefacts under town square

As excavations at the Kolegiacki Square in Poznań, West Poland, continue, archaeologists were able to reveal the remains of a large church and around 3000 artefacts.

Overview of the site (by Bartosz Jankowski)

The square once was covered by a parking lot but renovation works tend to open the space to public and permanently remove cars from the area. Archaeological fieldwork prior to the restoration project lasting since last year was aimed at documenting the remains of the Collegiate Church of St. Mary Magdalene that stood at the square until late 18th century.

Skeleton found at the site (by Bartosz Jankowski)

According to the researchers it was a large structure. The church is believed to measure 70 by 38 metres and was equipped in a tower measuring between 80-115 metres in height. By estimations, the church would have been the third largest building in Poznań until now. So far the popular opinion was that its remains were completely dismantled but archaeologists managed to uncover a portion of the walls, its foundations, and crypts.

One of the trenches (by Bartosz Jankowski)

Among numerous found artefacts are parts of smoking pipes, pins, fittings, crosses, trade stamps, armaments, led bullets and a large collection of coins ranging from the 14th to 19th century. Archaeologists discovered also around 300 graves. Some of them were located within brick crypts, others in ossuaries, and other directly in the ground. The researchers counted twelve layers of coffins reaching the depth of 4 metres below the present ground level. In 2016 a skeleton with trepanation marks was discovered at the site.

Surrounding of the site (by Bartosz Jankowski)

One of the important discovered places is the possible location of the tower or a bell production site, as a burnt layer and pieces of bells were found. These might be also the remains of the church tower, which is known to have burnt down after being struck by a lightning in the 18th century.

(after Nauka w Polsce & Bartosz Jankowski)

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