New Greek metro is archaeological window on the past

Record ID: 1859867

  • Title: New Greek metro is archaeological window on the past
  • Date: 30th November 2024
  • Summary: ΤΗESSALONIKI, GREECE (NOVEMBER 30, 2024) (Reuters) (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) CITIZEN, APOSTOLOS, SAYING: “I am very much looking forward to its opening. This is an event that our city wants, this means of transport, it will unblock traffic on the streets”. (SOUNDBITE)(Greek) CITIZEN, DIMITRIS, SAYING: “It will significantly improve the quality of life. I believe that, in general,
  • Embargoed: 14th December 2024 15:44
  • Keywords: ARCHAEOLOGY METRO THESSALONIKI artefacts
  • Location: THESSALONIKI, GREECE
  • City: THESSALONIKI, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA003372130112024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A metro system in Greece's second city Thessaloniki officially opened on Saturday (November 30), its stations displaying the same ancient artefacts that nearly derailed the project's completion.
    During construction, which began in 2006, workers discovered a Byzantine era market, a Roman cemetery and other treasures that marked the city's long and varied history.
    The finds stalled the metro's progress and raised questions about how the city would modernise while protecting its rich past. The answer was to blend to two by displaying the uncovered artefacts for modern day commuters to enjoy.
    “Today, we have both the metro and the ancient ruins of Thessaloniki before us", Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the metro inauguration ceremony.
    "It's probably unique in the world. We will go through an underground museum to reach the train”, he added, before visiting the Venizelou station for a private tour.
    The metro took nearly 20 years to complete, in part because of funding problems during Greece's 2009-2018 debt crisis. It is the first such system in Greece outside Athens.
    Builders had to dig deeper than originally planned - up to 31 metres (102 ft) - to make sure the tunnels ran below the archaeological findings, according to the project's contractor.
    "It is an opportunity for Thessaloniki to become a second Rome, in terms of antiquities," said Melina Paissidou, one of the archaeologists to discover the relics underground.
    (Production: Thanasis Elmazis, Alexandros Litsardakis, Stamos Prousalis, Iro Pappa)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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