Royal treasures missing since WW2 recovered 85 years later in remarkable moment

Royal treasures that went underground during the onset of have been rediscovered.

A cache of Lithuanian and royal treasures that were hidden in 1939 have been found 85-years later.

The treasures included medallions, crowns, rings, plaques and a scepter that were originally stashed inside a crypt in the Vilnius Cathedral – the main Catholic cathedral in .

They lay hidden for nearly nine decades until researchers inspecting cavities and cracks in the walls of the church’s vault made the startling discovery in December.

The discovery of this handsome trove has further shed light on historical artifacts and royalty which have managed to survive for centuries.

The treasures were first discovered in 1931 following a flood in the cathedral. However, they were hidden as the outbreak of war began.

Among the impressive hoard was a crown that once belonged to Alexander Jagiellon, who was the King of from 1501–1506.

It also included the insignia of Barbara Radziwill and Elizabeth of Habsburg, who were the first and second wives of Sigismund Augustus who reigned as king during 1548 to 1572 and was the Grand Duke of Lithuania.

Both Jagiellon and Augustus were key members of the Jagiellon dynasty who reigned in several European countries between the 14th and 16th centuries.

The treasure trove included a crown, medallion, ring and chain which belonged to Elizabeth of Habsburg, also known as Elžbieta Habsburgaitė and the Queen consort of Poland during the 16th Century.

The royal treasures also included a crown, orb, scepter, rings and chain which belonged to Barbara Radziwill, who was the wife of the late King of Poland also known as Barbora Radvilaitė.

A number of attempts to retrieve these royal treasures were made following the end of the war, but were unsuccessful.

This was until researchers began to search the cathedral crypts with the help of a very small camera.

Thanks to the camera and the use of current and historic drawings of the cathedral’s dungeons, these artefacts were eventually found and recovered with the hoard even wrapped up in old newspapers which dated back to September 1939.

These treasures were immediately removed from the cathedral’s hiding place and are currently being restored by the Church Heritage Museum and are expected to go on display later this year.

In a statement, Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of the Vilnius Archdiocese said: “The discovered burial insignia of the rulers of Lithuania and Poland are priceless historical objects.

“They were symbols of the long-standing tradition of Lithuanian statehood, signs of Vilnius as the capital, and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry.”