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London’s first Roman basilica found under office basement

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A discovery underneath the basement of an office block has been described as one of the most important pieces of Roman history unearthed in the city of London. Archaeologists have found a substantial piece of the ancient city's first basilica, a 2,000-year-old public building where major political, economic and administrative decisions were made.

The excavation has so far revealed sections of stone wall that formed the base of the basilica, which would have been two-and-a-half storeys high. The site, which will eventually be opened to the public, sheds light on the city's beginnings.

"This is so significant - this is the heart of Roman London," said Sophie Jackson, from the Museum of London Archaeology (Mola), who revealed the new find exclusively to BBC News. "This building will tell us so much about the origins of London, why London grew and why it was chosen as the capital of Britain. It's just amazing."

The discovery has meant a change of plans for the building's owners, Hertsen Properties. The Roman remains, which will now be fully excavated, are to be incorporated into the new offices - pending planning approval - and opened up to the public.

For the architects, redesigning a building around an archaeological site has had some technical challenges. Simple things like the columns have had to be moved, so you're not destroying all these special stones that we found in the ground. And so as not to disturb what's there, fewer lifts can now be installed - and this has meant that the team has had to reduce the height of the building.

But the effort will be worth it. To actually see people using and enjoying the space, moving through the public hall and down to see the remains, will be absolutely incredible.

This is the latest piece of Roman history to be discovered lying beneath the streets of London's Square Mile. And there's a growing effort to find innovative ways to show these sites to the public. Parts of an amphitheatre are on display under a glass floor at the Guildhall Art Gallery, and at Bloomberg's offices, people can visit the Temple of Mithras, which has been brought to life with an immersive sound and light installation.

The fact that Roman London is beneath your feet is, frankly, quite a remarkable emotion to experience. You can actually see and visualise how Roman London would have been in those times. And then you can walk outside and you can say, "now look at the skyscrapers, now look at the office blocks", this is progress, but at the same time, progress combined with preservation.

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