President of the Republic Nicos Anastasiades laid on Monday the foundation stone of the New Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, describing the day as historic for Cyprus.
He noted that this is a historic day because like any modern country that respects and honours its history and culture, Cyprus is finally having its own National Museum.
This is a national monument that will protect and highlight the rich cultural heritage and the interesting historical development of our country, with the sole aim of informing present and future generations about the roots of the formation of our identity of Cypriot Hellenism, President Anastasiades continued, adding that the museum will be a reference point, upgrading the local, but also the cultural map of the country, will be comparable to the museums in other European countries and will give a new identity and value to the area near the historical centre of Old Nicosia.
Despite the delays and postponements in starting the construction of the project due to its complexity and the pandemic, today we are in a position to lay the foundations of the New National Museum, the cost of which will reach 144 million euros and is expected to be completed within 42 months, the President of the Republic said.
He also noted that the more than the museum’s 6.5 thousand exhibits are divided into three distinct, spatial and conceptual sections, in a way that will reveal the country’s long history, as well as its uninterrupted relationship with the maritime element, while in addition to the permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, it will include the necessary modern facilities for the conservation of works, workshops, library, as well as event and recreational spaces.
Concluding, the President of the Republic congratulated the Minister of Transport and his predecessors, the Director of the Department of Antiquities, all the relevant bodies and all those who worked towards laying the foundations for this project.
The Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Yiannis Karousos said that the New Cyprus Museum is the largest project included in the state budget, proving in practice the priority that President Nicos Anastasiades and his government gave to culture, even during an admittedly difficult period.
With its completion, we will have a unique museum, an attraction, which will offer an experience to the visitor, Karousos continued, adding that it will be a landmark, that is, a building that with its particular aesthetic, architectural or historical importance for a region is a trademark, as several other European countries have.
He also noted that entry to the museum will be free since the government has instituted free admission to the museums of the Department of Antiquities, another milestone concerning culture and a legacy of the Anastasiades government to future generations.
Regarding the project’s construction work, the Minister said that it will be completed within 42 months, with the contract providing for a two-year maintenance period and including a negotiable provision for ten years of maintenance, while after the completion of the construction work, a period of 18 months is envisaged for the completion of the museum works, including the transportation and installation of the exhibits.
He added that the detailed design of the project was prepared by Theoni Xanthi XZA Architects LLC after an architectural competition coordinated by the Department of Public Works, while the project was bid by the Department of Public Works, which will also coordinate, supervise and manage the contract.
In recent years, the development budget of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works has increased by 450%, from €32 million in 2015 to €176 million in 2023, Karousos said, adding that important and long-awaited projects have been completed or are under construction, which have been a demand of local communities and stakeholders for decades and which the President of the Republic had announced and set among his priorities.
He added that the projects currently under the responsibility of the Ministry of Transport exceed €1.9 billion, while if the investment in the Port and the Marina of Larnaca amounting to €1.2 billion is added, the total number of projects exceeds €3.1 billion.
The Mayor of Nicosia, Constantinos Yiorkadjis, said that the new Cyprus Culture Museum, a modern and extroverted archaeological museum, worthy of the country’s history and culture, is expected to offer new experiences to the residents and visitors of the capital and proves above all the respect for the history and cultural heritage of our country.
The New Cyprus Museum will enrich the already remarkable cultural route of the capital and together with other important projects recently completed or currently being implemented will further enhance Nicosia and make it a destination for local and foreign visitors, concluded Yiorkadjis.
Source: Cyprus News Agency