An Italian man’s dream to open a modest restaurant became an archaeological obsession when he broke ground in order to repair a faulty toilet. The underground world filled with centuries of history he found beneath his building would dominate his life for more than a decade.

In 2000, Luciano Faggiano faced plumbing and sewage issues on the property he had purchased in order to start a trattoria, a casual eating establishment, in Lecce, Italy. Figuring it would be a quick fix, he opted to find and repair the trouble himself, with the help of his two older sons. Digging beneath the building, the family soon discovered a subterranean world, “tracing back before the birth of Jesus: a Messapian tomb, a Roman granary, a Franciscan chapel and even etchings from the Knights Templar. His trattoria instead became a museum, where relics still turn up today,” writes an article in The New York Times.

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Lecce, and Italy in general, is rich with history. Described as a layered cake of ancient civilizations and empires stacked one atop the other, the history of the area can be found just under its cobblestone and modern paved surfaces. Relics and artifacts are revealed frequently, whether from a farmer’s fields or under a city parking lot. Such discoveries are exciting additions to the shared collection of Italy’s past, but the historical finds also slow or cancel modern construction plans like subway systems or building improvements, causing headaches for city planners and builders.

Read more: Ancient Origins