Construction crews in Belgium made a remarkable discovery while preparing to build a new apartment complex in Ghent. Archaeologists uncovered a 16th-century Spanish castle commissioned by Emperor Charles V, along with an extensive collection of artifacts from the Spanish Army that once occupied the fortress.

Emperor Charles V built the castle in the 1500s as a strategic stronghold to maintain control over Ghent after the city revolted against his taxes. The site, which had been covered by a neighborhood since the 19th century, revealed not just the castle's stone foundations but also a "archaeological treasure trove" of items including glass bowls, wine bottle shards, ceramics, and Roman-era building materials.

The excavation has proven particularly significant due to a catch-all pit containing exceptionally well-preserved artifacts that could reveal details about soldiers' daily lives, including their diet based on animal remains and plant pollen. The team has also discovered dozens of medieval skeletons from the 13th to 16th centuries, as the castle was built atop the former St. Bavo's Abbey, one of Ghent's earliest structures dating to the seventh century.