- by croatiaweek
- April 14, 2026
-
in
News
Dubrovnik Cathedral (Photo: Veselin Atanasov/Public domain)
Recent restoration works on the stone pavement beside the cathedral in Dubrovnik have led to significant archaeological discoveries, including a late antiquity sarcophagus found just beneath the surface.
The find has attracted considerable attention, but experts say it is only one of a series of important discoveries emerging from the site.
Mihaela Skurić, director of the Institute for the Restoration of Dubrovnik, tells HRT that archaeologists have uncovered a previously unknown cistern, walls of former houses with preserved internal plaster, and human remains.
These findings add to the growing understanding of the area’s complex past.
Further discoveries include drainage channels, ceramic sewage pipes, and remnants of defensive walls. These build upon earlier excavations carried out following the 1979 earthquake, when valuable remains of two earlier churches were identified beneath the current cathedral.
Those earlier discoveries included what is often referred to as a Byzantine basilica, as well as a Romanesque cathedral destroyed in the devastating 1667 Dubrovnik earthquake.
Experts involved in ongoing research stress the importance of viewing the site as a whole.
The area surrounding the cathedral, including nearby squares, forms part of a multi-layered archaeological zone that is key to understanding the origins and early development of Dubrovnik.
(Photo: László Szalai /Public domain)
The latest findings have not come as a surprise to specialists. Historical evidence suggests that cemeteries developed around both earlier churches, with burials in sarcophagi taking place throughout the Middle Ages.
Nevertheless, the discoveries underline the exceptional importance of the site, widely regarded by experts as one of the most significant archaeological locations in the city.
As a result of the ongoing excavations, planned pavement restoration works have been scaled back significantly, from 1,000 square metres to around 300, as archaeologists continue to investigate the area.
