A driverless metro system hailed as ‘unique in the world’ opened on Saturday in Greece’s second city, Thessaloniki.
The construction of the 9.6km (six-mile) line cost three billion euros (£2.5billion) and spanned nearly 20 years, unearthing over 300,000 treasures in the process. Many of these artifacts are now showcased in the subway’s 13 stations.
Workers discovered a Byzantine-era market, a Roman cemetery and the remains of Thessaloniki’s busiest street in the 6th century.
This was a busy thoroughfare with many shops, archaeologists say.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, alongside President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras, initiated the operation of the system by pressing a blue button on Saturday, signaling the long-awaited commencement of the project.
Mitsotakis said the first appropriations for exploratory digging were part of the 1976 budget.
The project faced numerous challenges over the years, including legal disputes resulting in canceled contracts, conflicts over real estate, and disagreements concerning the location of a station in proximity to significant archaeological discoveries. These issues significantly delayed the completion of the subway line.
‘This is not just a public works project, which is incredibly important for the city. It is also a museum,’ Mitsotakis said before visiting the Venizelou station for a private tour on Friday.
A driverless metro system hailed as ‘unique in the world’ opened on Saturday in Greece’s second city, Thessaloniki. In the course of construction over 300,000 treasures were unearthed, many of which are now on display in the subway’s 13 stations. Above is Venizelou station
The trains were built by Hitachi Rail, which said the new metro would cut 77,000 tonnes of CO2 annually
Workers discovered a Byzantine-era market, a Roman cemetery and the remains of Thessaloniki’s busiest street in the 6th century. Above – Venizelou station
‘It’s probably unique in the world. We will go through an underground museum to reach the train.’
Builders had to dig deeper than originally planned – up to 31 metres (102 feet) – to make sure the tunnels ran below the archaeological findings, according to the project’s contractor.
‘It is an opportunity for Thessaloniki to become a second Rome, in terms of antiquities,’ said Melina Paisidou, one of the archaeologists to discover the relics underground.
Officials said the operation of the line would mean 57,000 fewer cars per day in the traffic-choked city, with an expected 254,000 passengers using the system daily.
Builders had to dig deeper than originally planned – up to 31 metres (102 feet) – to make sure the tunnels ran below the archaeological findings
Officials said the operation of the line would mean 57,000 fewer cars per day in the traffic-choked city
This photograph partially shows the museum of metro station Venizelou
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: ‘This is not just a public works project. It is also a museum. It’s probably unique in the world.’ Above – museum at Venizelou station
Travellers look at some of the objects from the Byzantine and Roman periods found during the construction at the Agia Sofia metro station
An eastward extension of the line with five additional stations is scheduled to open in 2025
Thessaloniki has a population of 300,000, which rises to over a million when including the suburbs. It’s the second-largest metropolitan area in Greece.
An eastward extension of the line with five additional stations is scheduled to open in 2025.
A westward extension is planned. But it will likely take several more years for the metro to reach the city’s busy Macedonia Airport.
The trains were built by Hitachi Rail, which said the new metro would cut 77,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
‘It is an opportunity for Thessaloniki to become a second Rome, in terms of antiquities,’ said Melina Paisidou, one of the archaeologists to discover the relics underground
