A routine museum construction project in Cologne has uncovered a 2,000-year-old Roman staircase, a rare private altar, and the massive foundations of a late antique basilica.
The discoveries were made in Cologne’s historic square during construction of the LVR-Jewish Museum in the Cologne Archaeological Quarter, known as MiQua. Archaeologists from the Römisch-Germanisches Museum were working alongside building crews when excavations reached back to the first century of Roman occupation.
The team identified three major finds tied to the former Roman praetorium, the governor’s palace: a preserved section of staircase, a second-century lararium, and fourth-century basilica foundations. Each discovery adds a distinct piece to the architectural and spiritual landscape of Roman Cologne.