The plan was to demolish the old office building at 85 Gracechurch Street in the heart of London’s financial district and construct a new 32-story tower in its place. But as demolition began, archaeologists made a staggering discovery in the site’s foundation: remarkably intact ruins of London’s first public building,

Archaeologists exploring the site of a planned 32-story office tower announced Thursday that they have unearthed the remains of a Roman basilica that once stood at the heart of the city known as Londinium.

An office building from the 1930s in the heart of London was about to be demolished and redeveloped by its owners — until archaeologists unearthed remnants of the city’s first Roman basilica in the basement.

The 2,000-year-old basilica was “once the beating heart of Roman London,” the Museum of London Archaeology said.

Deep beneath a modern office building in London, archaeologists have made an extraordinary discovery – the remains of the first Roman basilica in the city. Constructed shortly after the Roman conquest of Britain,

While preparing for demolition of one office building and construction of another right in the heart of London, workers just uncovered remains of the city's original Roman basilica. Built circa 80 C.E.