Palace of Aigai: Greece reopens huge Alexander the Great monument
The historical site of one of classical antiquity’s most crucial monuments, where Alexander the Great was crowned king, has officially reopened following a 16-year restoration.
The Palace of Aigai, situated near Greece’s northern port city of Thessaloniki, boasts a history dating back over 2,300 years.
Originally constructed by Philip II, Alexander’s father, it suffered destruction at the hands of the Romans and was later unearthed through excavations in the 19th Century.
The extensive renovation, funded with over €20m (£17m; $22m), included support from the European Union.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, present at the reopening ceremony, emphasized the global significance of this “monument of global importance” and underscored the responsibility to highlight, promote, and broaden the understanding of its historical value.
The restored sections, including massive colonnades, will be accessible to the public starting this Sunday.
Aigai, near what today is the town of Vergina, was its capital.
The palace was the largest building in classical Greece – covering an area of 15,000sq m (160,000sq ft) – and featured large banquet halls, places of worship and courtyards.
Alexander, who was crowned King of the Macedonians there in 336BC following his father’s assassination, would later go on to create an empire stretching into Asia and the Middle East.
The palace, and the nearby tombs of Philip and other Macedonian kings, are a Unesco World Heritage Site.
