According to a statement by the Ministry of the Interior, the basic planning principles, the specifications for the preparation of both studies, as well as the monitoring of their progress, were determined by working groups consisting of Attiko Metro executives and external partners, executives of the Thessaloniki Antiquities Authority and the five competent Directorates of the Ministry of Culture and Sports under the coordinating responsibility of the Directorates of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Antiquities.
The first study concerns the design of the protective shelters at the north and south entrance of the "Venizelos" Station, which is located at the junction of Egnatia and Venizelos streets. As the Ministry of Culture and Sports unveiled, the need for the construction of shelters at the entrances of the Station arose because of the archaeological findings that came to light during the construction of the Station. In particular, for the viewing of the Antiquities, a level of the archaeological site was created, at which point it became necessary to house the entrances at street level.
The design of the roofs was made so that they are as discreet and transparent as possible, due to their proximity to the important neighboring archaeological monuments of Thessaloniki of the 15th century, the "Hamza Bey" Mosque and the "Bezesteni".
In this context, the creation of inclined canopies with a glass structure was advanced to ensure, in addition to the protection of the Station premises and the archaeological site, the unobstructed viewing of the adjacent monuments without creating a visual obstacle to their viewing. At "Venizelos Station" the largest international archaeological site is being created as part of a public benefit technical project, adds the same announcement.
"Agia Sophia" Station
The second approved study for the "Agia Sophia" Station, concerns the lighting highlighting the antiquities at the north and south entrances of the Station, the roof at the north entrance and the Macedonian Warriors Square.
This particular study is a continuation of the approved study for the shaping of the northern entrance of the Station and the installation of a roof in the antiquities area, as well as the repositioning of part of the marble-paved square and the pilaster at the southern entrance of the Station.
The highlighting lighting of the Station, but also of the square, is discreet so as not to compete with the lighting of the archaeological finds, while maintaining, however, the interest of passers-by intact. In the square, the functional lighting will be limited to the pathways, busts and specific elements of the planting, thus delimiting the space.
