“According to international studies every euro we invest in culture, it yields 3.44 euros to our real economy,” the Minister of Culture said. Lina Mendoni Speaking on panels on “Next to Citizen and Quality of Life” held at Thessaloniki Concert Hall For the works of Thessaloniki.

The Minister recalled that in 2019, the Ministry of Culture He received in Central Macedonia “a program less than 20m euros and dead construction sites in Thessaloniki, with a metro condemnable not being done”. Today, as he said, projects being implemented exceed 200m euros, thanks to cooperation with the Region of Central Macedonia, the recovery fund and the Public Investment Program.

Metro museums

Ms. Mendoni was particularly stood in the Thessaloniki Metro, which “not only was done, but Venizelos Station It is internationally characterized as one of the best stations at European and global level. ” At the same time, he stressed that the project highlighted about 400,000 antiquities, of which a small part will soon be exhibited at the new Museum of finds of the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Railway, in the A3 Stratonism Building of the former camp of Pavlos Mela. This museum, as Ms Mendoni said, is implemented with resources from the recovery fund and will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in early 2026.

At the same time he referred to the Museum of Refugee Hellenism, which is integrated into the Central Macedonia, which is already in the auction phase. Concerning the second Metro Museum designed to take place at the crossover of the tracks in the Fountain-Pan-Hellenic area, he said: “We are absolutely mature for a second subway museum. We have reached the auction issues. We will find resources in the next programming period. ”

New Culture Spaces in West Thessaloniki

He made special mention of the recent acquisition of about 8 acres from the Ministry of Culture in the field of historic Fix. The aim, he said, is to redevelop and convert the industrial complex into “a living space of culture that will host the institutions of modern city culture”. The relevant studies, sponsored by more than € 4.5 million, are expected to be completed in late 2026 to early 2027.

Restoration of Byzantine and Ottoman monuments

Ms Mendoni emphasized that “Thessaloniki is the only city in Europe that maintains and maintains Byzantine wealth scattered on its urban fabric” and added that around 12m euros invested, all Byzantine monuments are being rendered by the end of 2026.

At the same time, he said that he was proceeding with the lighting of the monuments with a sponsorship of more than € 5 million, while the redevelopment of the surrounding area of ​​Agios Dimitrios, a project to be auctioned in October 2025, is being launched.

Regarding the city’s multicultural identity, the minister noted that two important monuments of the Ottoman period were being restored and attributed – the Alcazar (Mosque Bey) and the Baths “Paradise” – with resources from the Recovery Fund, until April 206.

Support

Ms Mendoni noted that more than 16m euros are invested in cooperation with the Region for extroversion, digital transformation and accessibility actions of Thessaloniki. Also, through program contracts with Local Government, new projects and actions are being carried out and has characterized that the programming contract will be signed in the coming days to strengthen the “Demetrios” with around € 2 million.