For 176 years, the cross on top of Hungary's largest church, the Esztergom Cathedral, had been hiding a secret.

During recent renovation work, a time capsule was discovered in the form of a copper canister inside the cross on the 100-meter-tall dome, which had survived bombing during World War II.

The container was damaged by shrapnel but when historians opened it, they discovered documents in near-perfect condition relating to the cathedral's construction.

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The capsule was placed inside the cross in 1845 by Archbishop Jozsef Kopacsy, who wanted to leave a "memory of the workers," and the era of the cathedral's construction, Csaba Torok, director of the Cathedral's Treasury, said.

Torok said the papers gave a rare glimpse into when the church was built, from 1822 onwards. He said the standout documents in the haul depict milestones in the construction and a book containing clergy members' and parish names.

Torok added that he "felt a sudden connection in time" as the first person to touch the documents in 176 years.

Now, Torok says a new time capsule might be placed in the cross for future generations – but it will need to be produced quickly, as the dome is set to be sealed on June 30.