During the 9th excavation campaign that ended on July 25, 2025 in the Archaeological Park of Castelseprio, in the province of Varese, at the so-called medieval house, archaeologists made a surprising discovery: the remains of a building datable between the 4th and 5th centuries. Until now, in fact, no such ancient structure had ever been identified in the park. This discovery makes it possible to affirm that the origin of Castelseprio dates back to a time before the Middle Ages, when the Roman Empire still existed.
Investigations in past years had uncovered traces of dwellings from the late medieval, Lombard and Gothic periods, but never from such a remote period. Research continues, and in the coming months it will be possible to define a more precise chronology and propose a reconstruction of the building. Meanwhile, starting in August, the Regional Directorate National Museums Lombardy will activate guided tours that will allow the public to participate “live” in the activities of archaeologists and to witness this exceptionally important discovery.
Castelseprio was an ancient fortified town, equipped with walls, towers, dwellings and churches, destroyed in 1287 during the war between the Visconti of Milan and the Della Torre family. Before its ruin, the settlement was the capital of the Seprio district, corresponding today to the area between Upper Milanese and Varese, and had reached its peak under the Lombard kings. Between the 6th and 10th centuries, a painter from the East frescoed the church of Santa Maria foris portas, creating a masterpiece of medieval art recognized in 2011 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
The excavation of the “medieval house” was carried out by theCatholic University of Milan under a ministerial concession, in collaboration with the Lombardy National Museums Regional Directorate, the Province of Varese and the Municipality of Castelseprio, under the direction of Professor Marco Sannazaro. Professors, Catholic University students and external professionals took part in the undertaking, with financial support from the Catholic University, the Community Foundation of Varese, the Rotary Clubs of Tradate and Busto, Gallarate, Legnano and the Lombardy Region (Culture Notice 2025, project “The Medieval House: life in the castrum in the Gothic age”).
“We are pleased to announce,” said Lombardy State Museums Director Rosario Maria Anzalone, “this fundamental discovery, which testifies to the fact that the proper management of cultural places cannot disregard valuable and constant study and research activities. My heartfelt congratulations to the team of professors and archaeologists, the real protagonists of this discovery.”
“Thanks to this excavation,” stressed Castelseprio Archaeological Park Director Luca Polidoro, “we will be able to understand something more about the origins of this extraordinary settlement. The discovery is part of an articulated panorama of excavations and research that are conducted on an annual basis by the Park Management and various universities. Thanks to these activities, the Castelseprio Park is confirming and enriching its role as an indispensable point of reference in the panorama of archaeological research.”
“We may be in the presence,” added the Mayor of Castelseprio Silvano Martelozzo, “of a very relevant discovery, which enriches the history and value of the Archaeological Park that has always been the main cultural reference point of our territory. I hope that this finding can be the beginning of further excavation campaigns, which will allow in the near future to better understand the illustrious past of Castelseprio.”
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| Castelseprio, excavations reveal remains of a 4th - 5th century building. Never here has such an ancient structure |
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