{
  "id": 19407892,
  "title": "Sudan’s Vast Medieval Cathedral Emerges From the Desert",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/10/sudans-vast-medieval-cathedral-emerges-from-the-desert",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-10T21:55:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/11/10/sudan-medieval-cathedral-old-dongola/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A monumental medieval cathedral in northern Sudan has revealed its original floor for the first time, offering new insights into a religious site that may have influenced architecture across Nubia. Known as the Great Church of Jesus, the cathedral at the archaeological site of Old Dongola measures around 47 meters wide and 57 meters long. Researchers estimate it once stood approximately 21 meters high. Polish archaeologists, collaborating with Sudan's National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums and local residents, have uncovered a monumental staircase, sections of the cathedral's original floor, and structural supports around its apse. Walls near the staircase remain up to 11 meters high, giving archaeologists a rare glimpse into the scale and construction of this key medieval African religious site. Professor Artur Obłuski, leading the joint expedition, likens the cathedral to a trendsetter in Nubian architecture, potentially comparable to Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The discovery of the church also sheds light on the medieval Christian kingdom of Makuria, which controlled territories along the Nile and developed into a major political and religious center.",
  "summary": "Archaeologists in northern Sudan have reached the original floor of a monumental medieval cathedral for the first time. The find offers new details about a building that may have shaped religious architecture across Nubia. The Great Church of Jesus, located at the archaeological site of Old Dongola, measures approximately 47 meters (154 feet) wide and […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}