and the cultural identity of the island, is satisfied with the decision of the regional governor of South Aegean Giorgos Hatzimarkou, to the Archaeological Museum of Kythnos in the Operational Programme “South Aegean islands 2014 – 2020”, public expenditure 750,000 euros.
The mayor of Kythnos mr. Stamatis ΓαÏδÎÏης has stated that: “The θεÏμιώτες we should be proud of the cultural heritage of our country and that’s why the Municipality of Kythnos will be helpful by any means for viewing the. The wealth of archaeological finds on the island, as well as the fact that the settlement of Maroulas, which dates back to the 9th millennium, is the oldest settlement with a built-in constructions in greece and in the Aegean region, proves the necessity of the establishment of the Archaeological Museum. Therefore, we will make every effort to ensure that the Kythnos to become a reference site of archaeological and cultural interest”
The island of Kythnos, an island with a particular cultural and historical identity, despite the rich archaeological findings and the location of one of the most important sea routes of the eastern Mediterranean, devoid of a museum space, the foundation of which is a long-standing request of the local society for years. For this purpose, was ceded by the municipality of Kythnos in the ministry of Culture the neoclassical building of the Old Elementary School, at a central point in the Country. In the basement -storage room of the building housed currently in the Archaeological Collection of Kythnos, which is not open to the public.
The permanent exhibition of the museum will include exhibits from the μεσολιθικό village of Maroulas (9th millennium bc.H) and other prehistoric sites, from the ancient city and the necropolis of the historic times (Vryokastro), but also from the “outside city” countryside of the historical times. In addition, you will be exposed and findings of byzantine and post-Byzantine years.
The necessity of creation of an archaeological museum in the island of Kythnos lies, on the one hand, the need for protection and promotion of cultural heritage and on the other hand, the importance of the establishment of a local museum, that will work two-fold: as a pole of attraction for visitors, but as active and active cultural-social institution, which draws from the local community and offers it to her, which will serve as a lever for fermentation, communication and evolution of society as a whole, combining education with entertainment through a mesh of actions and events.
At the same time, Kythnos is one of the islands where the past few years, the number of visitors during the summer months is steadily increasing. The establishment of the museum in the Country will attract a greater number of visitors with a particular interest in the cultural – historic stock of the island. The museum will be throughout the course of time a powerful pole of attraction for foreign and local visitors, schools etc.), given the proximity of the island to Attica and, more generally, with the south mainland. The final result would be a significant contribution to strengthening the economic development of the island. The museum will feed the interest for the archaeological sites and monuments of the island and give the island a highly competitive cultural tourism product, with a variety of economic benefits.
Given that this is an island of the Cyclades, which is a tourist destination, the project responds to the current priorities for tourism, at the international level, which includes the enrichment of the tourist product with new alternative forms of tourism activity, outside of the dominant model of mass tourism, one of which is cultural tourism.
The work will be carried out with the same through the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades. The project is part of the Axis of Priority “Strengthening of the regional cohesion” of the Operational Programme “South Aegean” and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.
Source
Kythnos acquired its own archaeological museum
—
