18th-Century Shipwreck Unearthed in Dubrovnik’s Game of Thrones Harbor

In a twist straight out of a pirate tale, workers laying a water pipeline in Dubrovnik, Croatia, stumbled upon a hidden treasure: the remains of an 18th-century wooden boat. This spring, the southern Croatian city—known for its medieval charm and as a filming location for Game of Thrones—revealed a piece of its maritime past in the Old Town harbor.

Ivan Bukelic, an undersea builder, unearthed the wooden structure buried about 30 inches beneath the seabed. "I can now say I discovered a boat in the heart of Dubrovnik’s Old Town," Bukelic proudly told NOVA TV. Marine archaeologist Irena Radić Rossi confirmed the vessel’s age, dating it to the late 18th century through radiocarbon analysis. While its type and size remain a mystery, the find is a rare glimpse into the region’s seafaring history.

Protecting this relic is a priority, Rossi emphasized, as the team works to preserve the remains for future study. Shipwreck discoveries aren’t new to Europe—dozens have surfaced this year alone, from Spain’s former fish markets to Ireland’s coastlines—but Dubrovnik’s find adds a thrilling chapter to the continent’s storied past.