Ghica–Daniel Houses / Hotel St. Petersburg

In the historic center of Iași, in the area of the former Ghica–Daniel Houses / Hotel St. Petersburg, preventive archaeological investigations targeted a plot located directly in front of the Palace of Culture, within a space of major importance for the development of the medieval and modern city. The investigations confirmed the presence of the foundations of historical buildings known from documentary and cartographic sources dating to the 18th–19th centuries, but also revealed earlier remains beneath them. These included cellars, medieval dwellings, and masonry structures, some of which had been partially destroyed by later constructions, as well as features belonging to the Cucuteni culture. Among the most significant discoveries is a medieval dwelling showing traces of burning, from which numerous artefacts were recovered, including a Venetian gold ducat and a hoard of Genoese–Tatar coins dating to the 15th century. Other features yielded ceramic material, metal objects, and a rich osteological assemblage, contributing to the reconstruction of habitation in the area during the medieval and premodern periods. In total, nearly 200 archaeological features were investigated, dating from the Eneolithic to the modern period, confirming the stratified character of this urban space and its essential role in the historical development of Iași over time.