Two ancient sites to get a boost

eKathimerini, 13-07-2012

The organization in charge of an ambitious plan to overhaul the Greek capital’s image as an archaeological destination has offered its expertise to help promote the archaeological site of Knossos on Crete. The Unification of the Archaeological Sites of Athens said on Friday that it will be coordinating an international competition for zoning proposals on how best to open up the entire site of the Bronze Age center of the Minoan civilization to visitors, who are currently restricted mainly to the palace complex and are unable to see other antiquities on the site.

“The archaeological site of Knossos is the second most visited site in Greece” with an average of 1 million visitors a year, said UASA president Dora Galani. “It is extremely rich in findings and is spread over a large expanse, characteristics that have not been fully maximized as tourists only visit the palace complex. At a short distance from the palace though, there are a lot of interesting monuments, which most people are ignorant of.” Proposals for the tender are expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Culture by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, in northern Greece, the Neolithic lakeshore settlement of Dispilio in Kastoria is to receive an injection of European Union funding for the restoration of its outer fortifications at a time when state resources for archaeological projects have all but dried up.

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