Hope wanted for Aphrodite`s temple in Thessaloniki

Buried in a plot at the centre of Thessaloniki is the Aphrodite`s temple(on the right),a monument which came to light in 2000.
Will it be buried under debris or will it be expropriated?How hope can be found for Aphrodite`s temple to be saved,which was revealed at the centre of Thessaloniki?Below Antigonidon Square and also to a plot next to it the particular temple is burried,a rare monument of the 6th century,which was revealed in 2000,when the two-storey building that was built on it was demolished.Arcaeologist then revealed the east part of the crepidoma of the temple,statues of greek-roman years and numerous fragments of arcitectural parts.Columns of the temple,which reach the height of seven metres,as well as other findings,are displayed nowdays at the Arcaeological Museum of Thessaloniki.The issue that came up now is that,the conversation about the expropriation of the plot,which was to take place on April 13th,was called off due to lack of quorum.In the meantime,its owners have objected against the expropriation.

 In the involvement,the Central Arcaeological Council has played major part with three different decisions about the future of the monument.The first decision,which was made a little after the reveal of the temple,was for the expropriation and its display,given its arcaeological and artistic value.But next,and without the progress of the expropriation,a new decision was made for the reservation of the monument underground,since a new block of flats would be constucted on top of it.The third decision of CAC,two years ago,came back to the solution of the expropriation,however,it never showed any progress.It is knowm,after all,the problem of the expropriations pending throughout Greece,as the Ministry of Culture can`t afford the ammounts required,which are often quite high.

In the same category seems to be this temple as well,in Dioikitiriou,where during Roman times the altars and the temples of the city were gathered.An interesting part of its history is that the temple had been transferred to Thessaloniki from the city Aineia,which was founded by Aineias,outside Mihaniona.In the early years,its existence had been known since 1936,when,durind excavations of the foundations of the building,its ionic arcitectural parts were found scattered throughout the city.

Meanwhile,the action of the citizens of Thessaloniki for the salvation of the remains of the temple is developed with a meeting which is to take place on Tuesday April 28th,at 6.30 pm at a hotel which is located in Antigonidon.At the same time,the Arcitect Course of AUT presents a suggestion for the reservation of the temple along with the shaping of Antigonidon square in two levels-contemporary and ancient-so as the restoration and display of the monument to become possible without problems to the square.After all,member of the parliament Ms Chrysa Arapoglou posed a question to the Minister of Culture.

Source: http://www.tovima.gr/culture/article/?aid=264655