Underground cellar unearthed during Buda Castle renovation reveals unexpected treasures
A short film revealing the cellar’s excavation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the discovery.
Renovation of Buda Castle
Renovation of Buda Castle was announced in 2022 and has been ongoing since, with parts of the project focused on reconstruction, reports PestBuda. Archaeologists have been involved throughout the process, as excavations must precede any groundwork—an opportunity that has yielded some unexpected finds.
This winter, researchers discovered what was initially thought to be a trash pit or a well. Digging deeper, it turned out to be a previously unknown underground cellar hiding a wealth of historical artifacts. The space has now been fully excavated, and the National Hauszmann Program, responsible for the castle’s restoration, has released a short film about the find on its Facebook page.
“We were about fourteen and a half feet down when, to our surprise, a southern wall began to open up into a larger hole,” recalled Eszter Magyar, an archaeologist with the Budapest History Museum. “We realized it was expanding into a bigger space and eventually recognized a ceiling above us—we were looking into a large room. That’s when we knew for sure it wasn’t a well, but rather we had entered the cellar through its ventilation shaft.”
The cellar held surprising treasures
The team spent four months excavating the cellar. Findings suggest that toward the end of King Sigismund’s reign, debris was being discarded into the shaft.
Most of the artifacts date from two key periods: the reigns of King Sigismund and King Matthias. Objects in the upper layer were associated with the Renaissance-era renovations of the late Matthias period. Beneath that was an even richer archaeological layer, revealing fragments dating back to the 15th century, including remnants from the rule of Sigismund, King Władysław I, and John Hunyadi’s governorship.
“We uncovered carved stones and also found a finely detailed bronze head—it had clearly defined eyes, a distinct nose, and even little coiled hair at the back,” said Magyar. “What’s especially exciting is that we still don’t know what its original purpose was. We also came across decorated gaming tiles featuring faces, possibly putti or angel-like figures.”
Excavation first, then reconstruction
Archaeological work tied to the castle’s renewal began in 2023. Researchers have been surveying different sections in phases based on access. Vince Györe, project manager at the Castle District Authority, emphasized the importance of handling such historically significant remains with care before beginning any redevelopment.
“Historical sources confirm that Buda Castle and the entire Castle Hill were already inhabited in the Middle Ages. That makes the whole area of prime archaeological interest,” Györe said. “By law, any excavation that involves digging requires archaeological supervision. This has applied to the Buda Castle reconstruction as well—even though this particular spot was unknown to archaeologists beforehand, making its discovery all the more crucial.”
Archaeological research is set to continue in the area, and the most remarkable finds from the cellar are expected to go on display at the Budapest History Museum.
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