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Sensational discovery: Remains of a medieval church found near Esztergom, Hungary – photos
Archaeologists have identified the long-sought remains of a medieval church near Esztergom, on Gedás Hill at the outskirts of Nagysáp. The discovery was made as part of a large-scale scientific research project aimed at mapping medieval fortifications in Komárom-Esztergom County.
Trial excavation on Gedás Hill
The excavation was carried out in November 2025 by the Balassa Bálint Museum of the Hungarian National Museum, in cooperation with the National Archaeological Institute and the Institute of Archaeology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Pázmány Péter Catholic University. According to a Facebook post by the Balassa Bálint Museum, earlier archaeological topographical data (MRT) suggested that Gedás Hill was once home to an earthwork fort, later replaced by a church that may have stood until the second half of the 19th century.
Based on a visible surrounding ditch and historical sources referring to the lesser noble landowners of the medieval village of Sáp, researchers had long suspected the existence of a former fortified site in the area.
Geophysical surveys provide the first evidence
Geophysical investigations conducted at the site revealed several underground anomalies. To verify these findings, archaeologists carried out a trial excavation, during which they uncovered part of the foundation of a medieval church that had been rebuilt in the early modern period. The combined use of non-invasive techniques and traditional excavation methods ultimately confirmed that a church once stood on the hill.
