As part of his program Ministry of Culture for the implementation of projects to prevent and deal with the phenomena of climate change, in major archaeological sites, the anti-flood protection projects, with a budget of approximately 3,500,000 euros, were launched in the archaeological site of Minoan Palace of Malia.

As stated in an announcement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, all the necessary studies have been completed – geotechnical, geological, hydrological study, hydraulics, special architecture and statics – and the project is in the tendering phase. The problems in the archaeological site, in terms of its anti-flood protection, are found in the drainage of water in the surrounding area, through the archaeological site, in the lack of an organized drainage system, in the difficult drainage of rain from the roofs, since the gutters do not work properly and the stagnant water raises the question of the static adequacy of the roofs.

“The last five years in Ministry of Culture we work systematically, methodically and in collaboration with the academic institutions of our country for the protection, prevention, shielding of archaeological sites and monuments from the extreme phenomena brought about by climate change. And this alongside his pension and training National Strategic Plan to address the impacts of climate change on our cultural heritage, tangible and intangible. Among the projects carried out by our services in major archaeological sites, with high traffic and a significant impact on local development, is the project of anti-flood shielding of the Minoan palace of Malia, which appears vulnerable to flooding due to the heavy rainfall that, periods, they affect the region,” she said Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni. And he continued: “The anti-flood protection project foresees the construction of an extensive network with drainage ditches around the perimeter of all the covered areas, to remove the rain from the roofs, but also the construction of a general drainage network that leads the rain outside the archaeological site. The completion of the necessary studies allows us to now proceed with the construction of the flood protection project, with the construction of an extensive drainage network and the replacement of the damaged roofs with new ones of high durability, in order to make the archaeological site more resistant to the very intense and strong rainfalls that have been affecting the area in recent years”.

The purpose of the special architectural study was the arrangement of rainwater and the accompanying works in the existing canopies and in the surrounding area. At the same time, the design of the rainwater runoff is harmonized with the overall design of the visitors’ path in the area. Visitor routes are combined with the construction of rest areas with seating areas and information boards. At the same time, the access of the disabled is ensured by the construction of a ramp, notes, among other things, the announcement of the YPPO.