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Already has a waiting list the first underwater museum of Greece: only yesterday, twenty-five divers, in groups of four, with a trainer making guide, you’ve seen up close the imposing wreck of the s. V to.C. a few meters from the islet Peristera, in the national marine park of Alonisos, in the islands of northern Sporades.
This marine park is the first of Greece and the marine protected area most big of Europe (2.220 km2) and is located in the region of Thessaly, in central Greece. This park is known since its inception in 1992 for its natural beauty and for being a favorite area of the monk seals (monachus monachus), a species protected and very loved by the greeks.
According to the research of Eforado (archaeological department) Antique Marine, we speak of the remains of a vessel trading to the s. V to.C., more specifically, of the year 425 to.C., and possibly athenian, which was carrying more than 3,500 amphorae of wine. It was discovered by pure chance by Dimitris Mavrikis , a professional fisherman of the area to 28 meters of depth. It has been discovered that the amphorae carried wine from Mendi (city of the Antiquity of the peninsula of Halkidiki, in northern Greece) and Peparithos (the present island of Skopelos). The amphorae are stacked in an area of 25 metres, which gives an idea of the outline and of the extension of the boat.
the First visit of the authorities acomañadas by members of the department of Antiquities Marine – Ministry of Culture of GreciaLas visits
This year, during the pilot project of the underwater museum , divers who already have the international certificate number 2 will be able to visit him (always in groups of four people accompanied by an instructor of one of the three diving schools local approved) for an hour and a half from 9 in the morning from today until the 2nd of October. Yes, as all the activities of diving, with a cost: 50 euros for a test dive and, if it exceeds 80 euros for the visit accompanied.
“Today [for yesterday] dived 25 people,” says ABC Panagiotis Anagnostou , the dive company Alonissos-seacolours.gr, insisting that there was a lot of interest in this activity and was expected by many groups until October. “If all goes well, next year there will be five months of visits, this year there are only two”. And he added, hopeful, that in the case of having many people registered, you will be able to increase the hours of visitation each day. By now the first group leaves at 9 in the morning and the last at 13.30.
They have also installed five underwater cameras that transmit live images over the 24 hours for your protection. And in the Center of Information for the visiting public at the centre of the island of Alonisos, there is now an app for those who can not dive physically: a virtual tour with 3D glasses that shows the underwater world of Peristera and his shipwreck, with an educational program for children and adults on underwater archaeology. The center is open only in the evenings.
Inauguration
on Saturday the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni , officially inaugurated this museum submarine of the sinking of Peristera , accompanied by the governor of the region of Thessaly Costas Agorastu and the mayor of the island of Alonisos, Petro Bafini. These last two, along with a popular singer, Saki Rubá, dived to more than 25 metres to visit the wreck.
The minister stressed the importance of the tourism for divers in the world and the desire of these divers, with international certificates of live a unique cultural experience. The creation of archaeological sites underwater accessible to the public is for the Greek state and the Ministry of Culture. It is “a daring project of great responsibility and a challenge with requirements and special conditions”, by taking into account the public safety, the preservation of the natural environment and the protection of cultural heritage.
Mendoni also stressed the importance, to open to the public, the archaeological site of marine, and to defend at the same time the right of access to the cultural heritage and the needs for its protection. And he recalled that there are already discovered and studied four other wrecks more in the area, so that the process has been initiated to form a part submarine complete in this area.
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