Under Notre Dame cathedral, a ‘dig of the century’ unearths 1,700 years of history
Archaeologists are uncovering Roman streets, medieval buildings and hundreds of artifacts as Paris prepares to remake the cathedral forecourt.
- Archaeologists are excavating the Notre Dame forecourt on the Ile de la Cite, revealing 2,000 years of layered history buried beneath the cathedral's square.
- Paris mandated the excavation to beautify the square before 2028, as city regulations require archaeologists to monitor soil before construction to prevent damage to historical artifacts.
- Digging 4 meters down, the team uncovered 4th-century coins stamped with Emperor Constantine and pottery shards found in deep grain pits and medieval latrines. Some days they fill 15 crates from untouched ground.
- Archaeologist Camille Colonna directs the team to transport all finds to the city's archaeology center, which she calls a "huge archaeological store" preserving Paris's history.
- By 2028, the square will transform into a woodland clearing with 160 new trees and a thin film of water sliding over stone to cool the area during Paris's increasingly hot summers.
80 Articles
80 Articles
Notre-Dame Cathedral has been open to visitors for a year and a half after a devastating fire, but its surroundings are still waiting for their transformation. The area in front of the cathedral, where tourists now queue to enter, is to be transformed into a greener and more pleasant place over the next two years. However, before construction work began, it was necessary to conduct an archaeological survey to ensure that any historical artifacts…
A team led by Camille Colonna dug four metres under the esplanade in front of the cathedral and recovered objects documenting the urban evolution of Paris from the 4th century to the Carolingian era
“Dig of the Century” at Notre Dame Reveals 2,000 Years of Paris History
Notre Dame Cathedral reopens in Paris with ‘Merci’ projected on its facade. Credit: Julian Fong / CC BY-SA 2.0 Tourists stand in line under the summer sun outside Notre Dame Cathedral, waiting to climb the landmark and see its famous Roman artifacts. Just a few meters below them, archaeologists are digging into nearly 2,000 years of Parisian history. The excavation is taking place beneath the cathedral’s forecourt as part of a project to redesig…
The square in front of Notre-Dame needs to become climate-proof, but first, archaeologists are conducting research underground.
Under Paris's Notre Dame, archaeologists are unearthing 2,000 years of history
Since Notre Dame Cathedral reopened to the public in 2024 following a devastating fire, it has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Paris. What many don’t realize is that the work continues near the cathedral underground. To make way for trees and shade on the square in front of the church, workers have undertaken a significant archaeological dig.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
