Barcelona Archaeologists Discover Centuries-Old Shipwreck Beneath Historic City

Talk about digging up the past—literally. Archaeologists in Barcelona have stumbled upon a centuries-old shipwreck right under what used to be a bustling fish market. The vessel, dubbed Ciutadella I, was uncovered between April 10 and April 15 during construction at the former Mercat del Peix in the heart of the Catalan city. Apparently, when Barcelona says its history is everywhere, they mean under your feet too.

Experts estimate the ship dates back to the 15th or 16th century, a period when the city was already making waves in maritime trade. According to the Barcelona Institute of Culture (ICUB), the coastline’s dramatic transformation began in 1439, after the first artificial docks were built. These changes, plus storms and shifting sands, helped bury the ship and preserve it for modern-day discoverers. Who knew urban development could double as an accidental time capsule?

The skeleton of Ciutadella I stretches 32 feet long and nearly 10 feet wide, reinforced by 30 curved wooden frames and at least seven hull stakes. The ship’s planks were fastened with wooden pegs—a common medieval technique—and parts of the hull even used iron nails. This so-called skeleton construction was the medieval Mediterranean’s go-to shipbuilding method, later spreading across Europe.

Nearby organic finds, like hazelnut seeds and pine cones, might date back to the ship’s own era. But before anyone gets too excited, experts warn the ship’s remains are extremely fragile. Wood from this period only survives under specific, mostly waterlogged, conditions. Once it hits the open air, it can turn to dust faster than a tourist running late for tapas.

To keep the discovery intact, archaeologists have partially reburied the ship in its original sand and are planning a delicate operation: 3D documentation, sampling, and eventually moving the vessel in water-filled containers to a preservation facility. There, the wood will be desalinated to ensure it can teach future generations about Barcelona’s seafaring past.

The ICUB calls this shipwreck a "unique source of knowledge" about navigation and shipbuilding from medieval Barcelona. Who would’ve thought a city famous for its nightlife and architecture had another gem lurking beneath its old fish market?