On Primorsky Boulevard in Odessa, right next to the famous monument to the Duke de Richelieu, archaeologists discovered unique artifacts of Genoese origin, dating back to the 14th century.
The find was made during excavations conducted by students of the Ushynsky South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University together with scientists from the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Archaeological materials indicate that in the Middle Ages there was an Italian settlement of Ginestra. Later, an Ottoman fortress was located on the same site.
The work is being carried out in the historic center of the city, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As noted by Ivan Liptuga, Director of the Department of Culture of the Odessa City Council, the newly discovered artifacts will enhance the universal cultural value of this space.
According to him, the plans are to install transparent glass over the remains of the fortifications so that tourists and townspeople can see fragments of the ancient walls. They want to mark the contours of the structure on the surface with tiles of a different color. They also plan to install a bronze information plate explaining what was here.
Back in 2021, ground-penetrating radar studies recorded an anomaly on Primorsky Boulevard that had no connection with modern communications. A repeated survey in 2025 confirmed that there are indeed remains of a structure underground. Rector of the Ushinsky National University of Physical Education Andriy Krasnozhon is convinced that these are the remains of the stone fortress of Khadzhibei, the predecessor of modern Odessa.
This find adds another important touch to the multi-layered history of the southern city, where the destinies of the Genoese, Ottomans, and Ukrainians intersected in one place.
