Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni conducted an on-site inspection at the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, where works are currently in full progress. For the first time, the entire enclosure of the Tomb, with a perimeter of 497 m., as well as the full extent occupied by the monument itself—approx. 5 acres—has been revealed, highlighting its true scale. Lina Mendoni was briefed by Themistoklis Vlachoulis, Director for the Restoration of Byzantine and Post-byzantine Monuments, and supervising engineer Michalis Lefantzis, on the progress of the interventions and the stages of the restoration project.

The uncovering of the ancient enclosure, the restoration of the original geometry of the slopes of the tumulus and its surrounding area, have already been completed. In addition, the restoration of the southern side of the enclosure, extending over 105 m., has been largely carried out using scattered ancient marble architectural members and a limited number of new elements made of artificial stone. At the same time, works are underway for the stabilization of the western section of the enclosure, including extensive repositioning of the porous retaining structure, as well as the construction of the extensive hydraulic rainwater drainage network of the tumulus. These interventions cover a particularly large area, as the Kasta Tomb occupies 5.4 acres, while its surrounding area extends over an additional 7.4 acres.

At the Burial Monument, following the completion of the stabilization and restoration of the vault in the burial chamber and the installation of a metal support structure in the trench of the burial cist, the stabilization and restoration works of the ancient structure have been completed. All earlier metal support and reinforcement systems have been removed, fully revealing the interior of the monument. In the immediate future, the monumental double-leaf marble Macedonian door of the burial chamber is scheduled to be installed, followed by the wings and the head of the sphinx. Along the peripheral pathway, which is being formed on the traces of the ancient peridromos, later phases of the monument are highlighted, such as exact spot where the Roman crane once stood for the removal of the marble blocks of the enclosure, as well as the ramps used for lowering materials from the top of the tumulus. At the same time, a rudimentary retaining wall made of rough stone masonry is visible on the eastern slopes, illustrating the continuous efforts to deal with technical from antiquity to the present day.

Following the inspection, the Minister of Culture stated: “The Kasta Tomb constitutes a unique and monumental Macedonian monument, which, through the completion of the restoration works of its geometry and the uncovering of its entire enclosure, now clearly reveals its historical significance and value. The Kasta Tomb is the largest burial tumulus discovered to date in Macedonia, with a diameter exceeding 140 metres, compared to the 110 metres of the Tumulus at Aigai, a fact that clearly reflects its uniqueness and scale. Scientific research conducted to date and the available data confirm its dating to the last quarter of the 4th century BC, while at the same time demonstrating the exceptionally high quality and luxury of its construction, elements that directly associate it with the era of Alexander the Great. The progress of the works is determined by the monument itself. Every monument is treated as a ‘living organism’, requiring absolute documentation, careful management and continuous study. For this reason, interventions on the monument are being implemented with the utmost care and methodical planning by the competent services of the Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the National Hellenic Research Foundation and Demokritos, our principal public research and scientific institutions, supported by specialized scientific teams from Greece and abroad. A decisive role in the funding of the project is played by the Region of Central Macedonia through the Regional Operational Programmes of the NSRF 2014–2020 and 2021–2027. The total budget of the interventions is expected to exceed 15 million euros. At the same time, procedures are advancing for the creation of an organized museum space on the eastern side of the Tumulus, as well as the necessary visitor infrastructure. Our goal is the safe and complete opening of the monument in early 2028.”