A lost altar from the Crusades was discovered in the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem.

In the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem, a lost altar from the Crusades period has been discovered. This church is one of the holiest places in Christianity and is believed to be the place where Jesus was resurrected.

According to the Austrian Academy of Sciences, this significant discovery occurred when construction workers lifted a large stone slab leaning against the church wall. This marble piece, covered with graffiti, was found in a public corridor of the church.

The other side of the stone was filled with stunning decorations, and it was determined to be the front panel of the Crusader altar consecrated in 1149. The altar had been lost in a fire that occurred hundreds of years later.

Historian Ilya Berkovich said, "There are pilgrim accounts from the 16th to the 18th century that mention a magnificent marble altar in Jerusalem. It was believed that the Crusader altar was lost after the fire in 1808."

The unique decoration on the altar was in the "Cosmatesque" style, named after the Cosmati family in papal Rome. This art involved creating complex geometric patterns with recycled marble pieces.

Historians believe that this altar was made with the approval of the Pope to honor the holiest church of Christianity. The altar, which is over 3.35 meters long, is the largest known medieval altar.

This discovery raises the question of how such an important work could go unnoticed in one of the most researched structures of Christianity. Researchers hope to identify the master behind the work with further studies.