A basilica once sat enthroned next to representative buildings on a hill near Lutherstadt Eisleben: Archaeologists report traces of a 30-meter-long church building on the site of the Helfta royal palace, which was rediscovered a few years ago. According to the findings and historical sources, these are the remains of the lost Radegundis Church. Otto the Great had it built over 1000 years ago – at the end of the Middle Ages the basilica and all the buildings in the complex were then completely demolished. The archaeologists now hope to find further traces of the Ottonian ruler’s seat.
For a long time it was only known from historical writings that there was once an important place in history in the area of ​​today’s Helfta before the gates of Lutherstadt Eisleben: In the late 9th century it is mentioned as “Helpide” and “Helphideburg”. In the 10th century, Otto the Great (912 to 973) – the King of Eastern Franconia and from 962 Roman-German Emperor – and his son Otto II (955 to 983) are documented. Thus it was one of the royal palaces of the Ottonian rulers. A few years ago, archaeologists from the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology Saxony-Anhalt (LDA) discovered the building complex, which was later razed and thus lost: From geophysical investigations of the subsoil, it became clear that the extensive settlement and fortification complex once stood on an area , the center of which was the “Little Klaus” hill.
The lost Radegundis Church appears
Archaeologists from the LDA have been carrying out excavations there since the beginning of May 2021. As they report, they have already unearthed exciting finds. The focus of the investigation is currently the remains of a large church on the site. The traces of the building structures show an approximately 30 meter long, three-aisled basilica with a transept. In addition, the archaeologists came across coins, garment clips artfully decorated with enamel, pieces of costume, pilgrim signs, pottery shards and more. They date from the Carolingian and Ottonian times, but also extend to the end of the Middle Ages. The former splendor of the church also suggests relics of the furnishings: Among other things, it is a Romanesque bronze crucifix with enamel and large fragments of a bell.
The church was apparently also an important burial site: the archaeologists uncovered some elaborately designed graves in the church area and around the building. It is becoming apparent that the impressive church dominated the area for around 500 years from the 10th century. As part of the Reformation, however, the walls of the basilica were then completely removed, reports LDA. The findings clearly show that it was the lost Radegundis Church.
Mysterious archeology hotspot
Important information about this building comes from the famous historian Thietmar von Merseburg. He mentions the church twice in his chronicle written between 1012 and 1018. He reports that Otto the Great had her consecrated to the canonized Thuringian Princess Radegundis. According to Thietmar, the ruler himself was present when Bishop Bernhard von Halberstadt inaugurated the church. The exceptionally stately church shows that the Palatinate Helfta had a special meaning for Otto the Great – what exactly this was, however, remains unclear, writes the LDA.
The further research excavations, which will also cover larger areas in the vicinity of the church, may provide insights. The archaeologists hope to find traces of the former fortifications, settlement structures and the representational stone architecture. So it will be interesting to see what else they will uncover in the mysterious place – where imperial history was once written.
Source: State Office for Monument Preservation and Archeology Saxony-Anhalt