River Yields Remnants of Warsaw’s Villa Regia | JQJO

Archaeologists in Warsaw have recovered remnants of the 17th-century royal residence Villa Regia from the Vistula River, the Museum of Polish History said in a Sept. 10 announcement. The palace, once among Europe’s most magnificent, was looted and destroyed during the Swedish Deluge. Officials say Swedish troops tried to ferry plundered elements away in 1656, but a vessel sank, preserving pieces such as a 440‑pound arcade arch and a pillar capital. The finds are secured for conservation and will aid plans to reconstruct the palace staircase and provide data for reconstructing Villa Regia.