site.btaAncient City of Heraclea Sintica Being Restored under Petrich Municipality Project

Petrich Municipality is implementing a project aimed at restoring and conserving the ancient city of Heraclea Sintica, said Katya Stoyanova, an expert from the municipal administration, here on Friday. According to her, the project has helped built the necessary tourist infrastructure to allow people to enter the ancient city.

The project is one of the largest of Petrich Municipality, financed with a grant from Operational Programme Regions in Growth and a financial mechanism that enables the Municipality to take a low-interest loan to be repaid from revenues from the tourist site, the expert explained.

"The most important thing from a scientific point of view is that, thanks to this project, we have managed to preserve a third of what has been excavated so far, so that archaeologists can conduct their follow-up studies", said Stoyanova. Through this project hiking trails have been built, and a connection has been made between the individual sites. Observation decks and a visitor centre have also been built, as well as a parking lot for buses and cars. The Municipality points out that an accessible environment has been provided for people with reduced mobility and people with disabilities.

The site is currently closed to visitors due to ongoing construction work. Stoyanova said that tourists continue to come, so a permanent exhibition and an area where information talks can be given have been set up nearby. According to her, Petrich is already a recognisable tourist destination, which also reflects on socio-economic life in the region. "We are already seeing an increase in accommodation, there is more interest in investment in the area, even from people who have nothing to do with it", Stoyanova said.