Several remarkable archaeological finds have been made during renovation work at St. Rumbold's Cathedral in Mechelen.
The announcement was made by the Province of Antwerp, which is having the work carried out together with the city and the church council.
Beneath the floor of the chapter house, archaeologists discovered remains of old walls, which may date back to a Romanesque predecessor church.
The current phase of the works focuses on the redesign of the northern spaces of the cathedral, including the chapter house, the north portal, and adjacent rooms.
This involves, among other things, restoring the original layout and giving various spaces a new purpose, such as a heritage depot.
During these works, layers of rubble containing pottery and building materials from the 16th and 17th centuries were discovered beneath the floor, indicating significant alterations during that period.
Older structures emerged from beneath this, including a former outer wall from the 13th or 14th century. And even deeper, a wall with a different orientation was uncovered, which may be part of an older, Romanesque church.
"What we are uncovering today has been hidden beneath our feet for centuries," says Deputy Luk Lemmens (N-VA). "That reminds us that heritage is never finished. Every intervention, no matter how careful, can reveal new layers. It is our responsibility to handle this respectfully and to incorporate this knowledge into how we continue to restore and pass on this building."
The restoration of the cathedral is a large-scale project with a total cost of more than €36 million. Among other things, the various main halls of the cathedral are being restored, reorganised, and made more accessible.
