The Region of Central Macedonia is moving forward with the promotion of 11 important monuments of Thessaloniki on the Egnatia Road axis, as it is financing their lighting through the NSRF with resources of over 1 million euros, following the signing of the relevant decision by the Regional Governor Athina Aidona.
The project will be implemented by the Directorate for the Restoration of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, and the 11 monuments that will be illuminated in order to highlight them are the Eastern Walls, the Church of Agios Georgios “Rotunda”, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior, the Church of Agios Paneleimonas, the Church of Panagia of Acheiropoieto, the Church of Panagia Chalkeon, the Church of the Holy Apostles, the Church of Ypapanti, the Arch of Galerius, the Church of Agios Athanasios and the Ottoman bath Bey Hamam “Loutra Paradisos”.
With the exception of the Church of the Holy Apostles, the remaining ten monuments are located along and on either side of Egnatia Street, which is one of the oldest road axes of Thessaloniki and whose layout has been maintained, with minor shifts, throughout the city’s long history from its foundation to the present day.
The Regional Governor of Central Macedonia, Athena Aidona, stated in this regard:
“We are utilizing the European resources of the Region in order to deliver a legacy project for Thessaloniki, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. The illumination of the 11 important monuments on or near Egnatia Street is a project that will not only shed light on the history of the city.
It is a debt owed to our culture and our heritage. Because of these monuments, despite their importance, specialized lighting studies have never been carried out in the past to highlight them, according to modern restoration principles, in order to highlight their special architectural characteristics and historical physiognomy, with the exception of the Rotunda.
And that is exactly what we are here to do now. To highlight the history of Thessaloniki in the best possible way and to make our monuments more attractive and visitable, while preserving their authenticity and therefore the authenticity of the city itself.
The intervention also provides for the careful dismantling of the existing lighting fixtures for the 11 monuments and their replacement with modern technology lighting fixtures, which will highlight the monuments and will be less energy-intensive. No intervention will be required in the existing perimeter municipal road lighting, as the new highlight lighting will dominate the existing diffuse lighting.
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