The burial insignia of the rulers of Poland and Lithuania have been discovered in the vaults of Vilnius Cathedral. The discoveries included the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon, the first wife of Sigismund Augustus Elisabeth Habsburg and his second wife Barbara Radziwillowna.

It was recently announced that a monument to Sigismund Augustus and his greatest love, the prematurely deceased Barbara Radziwiłłówna, will be erected in Vilnius.

“The discovered sepulchral insignia of Lithuanian and Polish rulers are priceless historical treasures, symbols of the long tradition of Lithuanian statehood, signs of Vilnius as a capital city and magnificent works of jewellery,” Vilnius Metropolitan Archbishop Gintaras Grušas said at a press conference.

“These crowns were not worn during the rulers’ lives. They were made after their death and were part of the tomb insignia,” added Archbishop Grušas.

The treasures were hidden in 1939, soon after the outbreak of World War II, when the cathedral was threatened with closure or destruction by military force. After Lithuania regained its independence, several search attempts were made. 

The crowns and jewels were covered in Polish pre-war newspapers. 

Source: Belsat, PAP

Photo: Vilniaus arkivyskupija/Facebook

Tomasz Modrzejewski