Medieval cellar unearthed beneath Buda Castle reveals secrets from 600 years ago

Archaeologists from the Budapest History Museum have uncovered a remarkable medieval cellar beneath Buda Castle, located where the northernmost wing of the royal palace—known as Building A—once stood. The discovery sheds light on 600 years of history and adds another valuable find to the archaeological treasure trove beneath the Castle District.

According to a report by Műemlékem.hu, the excavation at Buda Castle began in 2023 under the commission of Várkapitányság Zrt., when experts discovered a cellar belonging to a 14th–15th century noble residence while dismantling the western extension—added in the 1960s—of the royal palace’s northern wing designed by Alajos Hauszmann. While the ground level has changed significantly due to modern expansions, the underground spaces—mostly natural rock cavities shaped as needed—have preserved secrets of the medieval past.

Stunning Finds Beneath Buda Castle

“We discovered a vertical shaft at the site of the former Building A. Using manual tools, winches, and ladders, we removed debris and reached the base, which lies seven meters below the surface,” said Eszter Magyar, lead excavation archaeologist of the Medieval Department at the Budapest History Museum. The L-shaped cellar has one 5-meter-long and 3-meter-wide wing, with an entrance that once opened toward Szent György Street.

So far, archaeologists have unearthed a variety of valuable artifacts, including a finely crafted 15th-century bronze head, blue-and-white tin-glazed stove tiles, and coins from the reigns of Sigismund of Luxembourg, Ladislaus V, and Władysław I. Notable findings also include a silver denar of John Hunyadi, a blade from the time of Sigismund, and ornate window and door frames. Among the animal remains were several parts of a horse skeleton and an intact skull.