Medieval convent uncovered beneath Roskilde soccer field by radar survey

Researchers from ROMU identified the long-lost St. Clare's Convent beneath a soccer field in Roskilde using ground-penetrating radar before construction of an underground garage. The scan showed a largely intact complex, including rooms, cloisters, columns and a southern-wing church, with the eastern wing especially well defined. Built in the 13th century and dismantled in the 1500s, the convent’s foundations survived despite the removal of hundreds of thousands of bricks.

Archaeologists, led by Jesper Langkilde, intend to conduct trial digs to uncover everyday medieval objects, religious paraphernalia and possible burials, which could illuminate the nuns’ diet, literacy and international links. The site is one of five medieval monastic locations in Roskilde, the only one not previously protected as an ancient monument. The find highlights the value of non-invasive surveys for uncovering hidden heritage.