Archaeological research on the Nagyboldogasszony Cathedral in Kalocsa
Continuing the centuries-old tradition of the Archdiocese of Kalocsa-Kecskemét, Archbishop Balázs Bábel of Kalocsa commissioned the Archaeology Department of Pázmány Péter Catholic University to carry out archaeological research in connection with the ongoing renovation of the Cathedral. This project brought together a working group of several institutions and researchers, including the King Matthias Museum in Visegrád, specializing in medieval archaeology, the Military Joseph Museum in Kecskemét, and the Archdiocese of Kalocsa-Kecskemét.
Gergely Buzás (MNM Mátyás Király Museum) is leading the excavation on behalf of the Archaeology Department of PPKE, assisted by Zsolt Vágner (Pázmány Péter Catholic University). The Archdiocese is providing the necessary physical labor and technical support for the excavation. Initially planned as a small-scale operation, the excavation, which began in early 2014, has evolved into a truly interdisciplinary project. Archaeological staff, technicians, university students, and researchers from other disciplines are working together, using state-of-the-art technologies to explore the cathedral’s history.
Geophysical research on the cathedral area is being led by Gábor Bertók (Department of Archaeology, PPKE BTK), and the Archdiocese has created a framework to incorporate modern digital surveys as part of the renovation. This collaboration has enabled continuous 3D scanning of the excavated sections and stone carvings, supervised by András Fehér and his team (HumanSoft Informatikai Kft.), as well as the documentation of the excavation through IMS photogrammetry by József Vajda and Ilona Győrffy (Fotogrammeter Kft.). The restoration team, including András Zahorán and György Paszt, is responsible for professionally cleaning and highlighting the stone carvings uncovered during the excavation. László Varga (Katona József Museum) has been instrumental in detecting artifacts during the excavation, and the resulting medals are now under the care of numismatist Balázs Nagy.
As part of the preparation for the excavation, Gábor Bertók conducted a georadar survey of both the interior and exterior of the church. The first phase of the excavations, which began in January 2014, focused on previously unexplored sections of the church, including the longhouse and the sacristy. This work uncovered the remains of the walls and floor of the original cathedral from the time of St. Stephen, as well as several graves from its cemetery. The excavations also revealed the foundation and plinth walls of the early Gothic cathedral, built in the early 13th century, along with the vaulting, pillars, and numerous stone carvings and artifacts that aid in reconstructing the building’s history. These findings have also helped validate earlier research conducted by Imre Henszlmann in 1869 and Ernő Foerk in 1910.
Further research is planned to clarify the layout and construction history of the western half of the first cathedral, as well as additional details about the second cathedral, located in an unexplored part of the building. The new archaeological research will provide an opportunity to present the architectural remains of the medieval cathedrals in connection with the ongoing renovation of the current church. The rich finds from the excavations, especially the newly discovered Gothic stone carvings of outstanding significance, will form the foundation for expanding the Archbishop's Treasury into a Dome Museum.
We would like to express our gratitude to Archbishop Balázs Bábel for commissioning this important project, which has provided our researchers and students with invaluable professional experience at one of Hungary's most significant historical sites. Special thanks go to Márta Vörös, the diocesan chief architect, who serves as the professional leader of the project and is actively assisting in the excavation as a monument architect.
