Ancient columns were found while digging on the site where the new archaeological museum of Cyprus is to be constructed.
The unexpected find was discovered at a depth of nine meters quite by chance.
According to some reports, the historical relic was left from the times when the island was ruled by Great Britain. It should be noted that this incident may cause a shift in the realization of a large-scale project. By the way, the contracting company is already demanding to increase the term of the contract by at least one and a half months. In addition, it is not yet clear how the Department of Antiquities will react to the situation.
Recall that the new archaeological museum is being built on the site of the old Nicosia General Hospital, at the intersection of Jawaharlal Nehru Avenue and Heylonos, next to the Pedios River, not far from the existing Archaeological Museum and the House of Representatives.
According to the project, which was designed by Theoni Xanthi XZA Architects, the development area will cover an area of 40 thousand m2. Along the bank of the river, three snow-white buildings of the museum, mounted on transparent glass cubes will appear.
Each of the buildings will house permanent and temporary exhibitions, divided into three concepts "Culture", "Environment" and "Sea". The buildings will be surrounded by beautiful gardens with trees, shrubs, and water bodies, and in the center, there will be an atrium where open-air lectures can be held.
On the banks of the Pedios River, a recreation area and educational facilities are planned: there will be restaurants and cafes, buildings for temporary exhibitions, as well as a library and rooms for workshops. The museum will also have an underground parking lot.
The realization of the project was entrusted to the company ACOVOU-CYFIELD JOINT VENTURE, which won the tender for construction in November 2022. The developer was also granted the right to maintain the building for 10 years after commissioning.
The cost of the new museum is estimated at 144 million euros.
The construction of the museum complex was to be completed on July 9, 2026. But now the date of commissioning of the new museum may be postponed indefinitely.