The magnificent palace of Aigai in the region of Pella, northern Greece is set for its grand opening to the public in May, with its walls restored to a height of 1.6 metres and the rich mosaics uncovered on the hall floors, according to ANA reports.
The palace, built during the reign of Philip II (359-336 BC), father of Alexander the Great, is three times the size of the Parthenon and belongs to a complex that includes royal burial clusters and a fortified town. The complex is in a strategic location defined by two rivers and the Pieria mountains.
Work is currently underway for sixteen columns of the peristyle's southern section and the frieze will be reconstructed, to a height of eight metres. "This will allow us to get a comprehensive view of the building," as archaeologist Angeliki Kottaridi, also head of the antiquities ephorate in the region of Imathia, told ANA.
Meanwhile, part of the upper floor at the palace's entrance way (propylon) and a 30m part of a colonnade have been set up inside the new museum at Aigai, because they could not be reconstructed to their original position.
Kottaridi also says the museum will be ready to open fully by the spring of 2020.
