1500-year-old Christian cathedral with baptistery uncovered in France

Ruins of an early Christian cathedral in the French city of Vence. Photo: Vincent-Xavier MORVAN/AFP

At the end of July 2025, in the French city of Vence, archaeologists presented the results of excavations during which the ruins of an early Christian cathedral and a fully preserved baptistery over 1500 years old were found. This was reported by Christian Post.

According to Fabien Blanc-Garidel, head of the Archaeological Service of Nice, the find is of exceptional significance: "This discovery is of such magnitude that it only occurs once every 50 or 60 years in Europe. The font is in excellent condition and confirms the antiquity of the bishopric of Vence." He noted that this find enhances our knowledge of early Christian religious practices in the Alpes-Maritimes and Provence.

The cathedral, discovered under the building of a covered market, was used for about six centuries, from the 5th to the 11th century, and then abandoned. Among the most remarkable finds is the baptistery with a baptismal font in its original state without later modifications. Blanc-Garidel described the baptistery as a “circular building, likely surrounded by a colonnade and covered,” with a baptismal font that is octagonal on the outside and cross-shaped within. The font was lined with béton de tuileau, a Roman concrete made from crushed tile.

The chief curator of the archaeological service, Franck Schumera, added: "One of the most significant aspects of this discovery is that the preserved archaeological structures offer insight into the history of this monument over six centuries."

In the nave of the cathedral, archaeologists also uncovered tombs in the cathedral’s nave, believed to be those of bishops and canons. The graves were constructed using pitched Roman roof tiles, a method typical of the time.

Despite the significance of the finds, reconstruction work on the covered market will continue. The municipality decided to preserve the relics inside the building: the baptistery will be placed behind a protective glass panel at the entrance, and the remains of the apse will be made visible under a transparent floor.

Historians note that Vence was one of the influential centers of Christianity in Provence from the early Middle Ages. Its diocese was located at the crossroads of trade and cultural routes between Italy and Gaul, which contributed to the rapid spread of faith and the establishment of the city as an important religious center in the region.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Jerusalem, a wall where Christ healed the blind man was found.

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