The famous burial monument of the Kasta mound, in the municipality of Amphipolis, will be visited by small special groups of the public from next week, according to what the Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni said this afternoon, during a visit she made to the site, in order to see up close the progress of the works being carried out.

After consultation with the Directorate of the Ephorate of Serres, specific groups of people, such as scientists, researchers, educators, tourist agents and people from the local government will have the opportunity to visit the interior of the mound and admire a part of its decoration up close.

“The marble material that has been welded, the sphinxes at the entrance and the Caryatids that have been preserved, perhaps even a part of the mosaic floor from the abduction of Persephone, will be given to the public and so those who visit will have a satisfactory picture of the monument.Mrs. Mendoni emphasized.

Also, these first visitors will be able to see from a relative distance the burial trench, which is impressive in size and construction.

In 2027 the monument can be fully visited

However, the minister clarified that these visits will be temporarily interrupted when the work to remove the scaffolds from inside the monument will begin and will continue immediately after. With regard to the timetable when the burial monument will be able to be attributed in its entirety to the general public, he emphasized that this is placed around 2027 and once all the necessary infrastructure, restoration and regeneration works of the surrounding area have been completed.

“You know that the burial monument is a small space, this means that once it is opened to the general public, no more than five or six people will be able to get inside. Given the particularly great interest that exists, it is understandable that an exhibition, a refreshment stand should be created, in general there should be activities that will occupy the numerous visitors who will arrive at the mound”, noted the minister.

Delays and time gained

Ms. Mendoni appeared completely satisfied with the progress of the works being carried out on the monument, despite any delays, especially after the heavy rain last June, which she said destroyed six months of work. “However, today, all the damage has been repaired, the geotextiles have been placed and the necessary plantings have been made to contain the materials, so that the monument is completely safe in order to proceed with the maintenance work inside it”, underlined the Minister of Culture. He pointed out that the competent services of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for two whole years, in 2021 and 2022, were correcting distortions and mistakes of the past.

Which projects have and studies planned

The works planned for the next period are – among others – the completion of the maintenance work inside the monument, the tender for the construction of the roof and the removal of the scaffolding, the pilot works for the restoration of the burial enclosure. At the same time, in the laboratories of the archaeological museum of Amphipolis, all the sculptural decoration and the fragments discovered during the excavations, from 2012 to 2014, are examined and studied.

Also, as the minister added, the Department of Restoration of Ancient Monuments of the YPPO is carrying out a difficult and demanding job, which is the preparation of the studies for the overall promotion of the burial monument.

At the same time, the expropriation of the lands around the Kasta mound is progressing, so that the preparation of the study for the settlement of the surrounding area of ​​the monument can also begin.

The exception is made in the Kasta mound

The Minister of Culture made it absolutely clear that the main and only goal of the Ministry of Culture and all those involved is to give the monument to the general public in its entirety. He explained, however, that the times required are defined by the needs and specificity of the monument.

He also mentioned that the burial monuments are not open to visitors, however “in the case of the Kasta mound, an exception is made, due to its importance. The presence of a large number of people inside an enclosed space creates special conditions, which cause problems for the colors and mosaics, which have been saved and which we must protect because they are unique.”

He also made special reference to the project of restoring the old wooden bridge of Amphipolis, with a budget of 1.5 million euros, with resources from the Recovery Fund. He noted that this project is no less important than the Kasta mound, as it is the only wooden bridge from antiquity that has been preserved in good condition until today.

The Region of Central Macedonia will continue the funding

The regional governor of Central Macedonia, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in his statements, emphasized that the regional self-government practically supported the restoration works of the burial monument by financing them with more than 2.5 million euros. He noted that the funding will continue in the new period as the final goal is to give the monument to the world.

He also thanked the Minister of Culture for the excellent and constructive cooperation they have had over the years in the fields of Culture and the promotion of many important projects.