Huge discovery: Medieval sword found in the Danube near Budapest

A remarkable discovery was made when a 600-year-old sword was pulled from the Danube River by a young man engaging in magnet fishing near the Elisabeth Bridge on the Buda side of Budapest. Such an ancient and large blade is rarely found in a single piece, making this find particularly significant.

Experts at the Budapest History Museum have taken over the restoration of this extraordinary sword. According to Blikk, the weapon is a rare treasure, both because of its age and its remarkable state of preservation. The finder noted that the sword is missing only 15 to 20 centimetres of its blade, along with part of the hilt, which is an impressive condition for an artefact of this age. After realising the significance of his discovery, the man sought out archaeologists on Facebook to get a better understanding of the sword’s historical value.

Sword surfaces after centuries underwater

This medieval sword, now identified as an archaeological find, was handed over to the museum where it can be properly preserved and studied. The finder’s friend, who is a museologist, confirmed the sword’s authenticity and importance. Even though he must relinquish the artefact to the museum, the finder expressed his pride in the discovery, joking in an interview with Blikk that although he would have loved to keep it on display at home, he was content with the museum’s gratitude for his report.

The man behind this discovery, Erik Kovács, is no stranger to magnet fishing. He frequently visits the Danube with his magnet in search of metal objects that have been lost to the river over the years. His dedication to this unique hobby has led to numerous significant finds, and his experience has taught him where to search for larger, more valuable objects. On the day he discovered the sword, he decided to try his luck in an area of the river that usually yields few finds. He was motivated by the possibility that, if he did find something, it would be worth the effort—and this time, he was right.

As he began to pull the object from the river, he could feel his magnet clinging to something large and elongated. When the object finally surfaced, he immediately recognised it as a sword, though he was unaware of its true value at that moment. The sword’s blade, measuring 95 centimetres in length, was surprisingly intact, missing only part of the hilt that was likely an additional 15 to 20 centimetres long.

This isn’t Kovács’ first extraordinary discovery; his previous finds include a complete motorbike and even the barrel of an anti-aircraft gun. However, this ancient sword is now safely housed at the Budapest History Museum, where it will be carefully preserved. Experts have noted that the Danube’s water, rich in nitrogen, can actually help preserve metal objects by inhibiting corrosion, which may explain the sword’s good condition after centuries underwater.

The museum will spend months restoring the sword before it is ready to be displayed to the public. Once the restoration is complete, this extraordinary artefact will be exhibited, allowing visitors to witness a piece of history that was hidden beneath the Danube for over half a millennium.

You can see photos of the extraordinary find in the article HERE.

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