A remarkable discovery has been made beneath the Church of Saint Philibert in Dijon, France: a 400-year-old burial vault, accessed by a long-forgotten staircase. The Romanesque church, dating back to the latter half of the 12th century, held this hidden chamber within its transept.

The vault, likely constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries, contained the remains of both children and adults. These individuals were interred in coffins, and as space became limited, the bones of earlier burials were moved aside to accommodate new occupants. The deceased were primarily adults, shrouded and laid to rest in wooden coffins.

Few artifacts accompanied the burials, with the exception of a small number of coins and two rosaries. The vault itself is approximately nine feet deep, and slab tombs dating from the 11th to 13th centuries were also found within the church. Archaeologists also unearthed six sarcophagi during the excavation.

St. Philibert holds a unique position as the sole remaining Romanesque church from the 12th century in Dijon. Historical records indicate that the church was abandoned in 1795 during the French Revolution. Later, the city acquired the property and demolished two chapels and the apse to make way for the expansion of Rue des Vieilles-Ovens in 1825. Today, St. Philibert is open to the public on designated Heritage Days.