“The Ministry of Culture recognizes its significant duty to safeguard cultural heritage and has undertaken necessary measures. Achieving inclusion on the World Heritage List is a national objective that must be collective and unified. Our aim is to elevate the Minoan Civilization, establishing it internationally as the cornerstone of Western civilization,” emphasized Lina Mendoni in Parliament.
The Minister of Culture addressed a question from PASOK–Movement for Change MP, Fragkiskos Parasyris, concerning “Knossos and the essential conservation and restoration efforts.” She mentioned that “on May 17, 2025, Knossos experienced wind gusts up to 9 Beaufort, creating a whirlwind effect. The Queen’s Megaron, which houses a replica of the fresco, is currently closed to the public but remains exposed to winds due to its large openings—the polythyra—and an open light well that allows strong air currents to enter. Anyone familiar with the palace knows that the Megaron is along the route that visitors take to the eastern wing.”
She pointed out that “the royal apartments, including the King’s and Queen’s Megarons, have been off-limits to visitors since the 1980s.” Mendoni also stated, “The restoration of the King’s Megaron has been completed, funded by the Crete Regional Operational Program under NSRF 2014–2020. This project, which commenced in September 2019 during our administration, had a budget of €1,000,000, with the Heraklion Ephorate of Antiquities overseeing its implementation.”
“When we took office in 2019, there were no developed studies for Knossos. We embarked on a time-sensitive effort to prepare studies, allocating €350,000 from the Ministry of Culture’s budget. Restoration studies are complex, requiring resolution of scientific and epistemological challenges while also being influenced by the monument itself,” the minister explained. She went on to note that “the Ministry of Culture has produced a comprehensive set of studies that facilitate funding for related works under NSRF 2021–2027. Additionally, during the current programming period, we’ve collaborated closely with the Region of Crete to create a strategy for Integrated Territorial Investment that focuses on enhancing the visitor experience at Minoan palace sites, particularly Knossos, Phaistos, and Malia.”
Mendoni reported that €900,000 is secured from the Crete ROP NSRF 2014–2020, alongside €8 million allocated for forthcoming projects, which include:
– Construction of reception buildings and upgraded entrance areas at the archaeological site of the Minoan palace of Knossos (budget: €3,300,000)
– Restoration and enhancement of the Queen’s Megaron and visitor pathways (budget: €1,800,000)
– Installation of a permanent water supply and fire protection system (budget: €2,000,000)
Moreover, under the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the project titled “National strategy for adapting the protection of cultural heritage monuments to climate change effects” is being finalized with a budget of €2,000,000, which includes Knossos. Another project funded by the Recovery Fund, “systems for recording and monitoring the impact of climate change on microenvironmental conditions for preserving monument materials,” has a budget of €2,500,000. Monitoring systems are already operational at Knossos as part of this initiative. Additionally, €750,000 from the Recovery Fund has been allocated for the complete renovation and upgrade of the souvenir shop, which reopened in May 2024. Since April 2024, visitor zones utilizing e-ticketing have implemented significant improvements for managing visitor flow.
In conclusion, while addressing a part of the PASOK MP’s inquiry regarding the programmatic agreement with the Region of Crete from 2019, Mendoni stated:
“Yes, a Programmatic Agreement was signed in April 2019 with a budget of €140,000. However, due to an oversight in drafting by the Ministry of Culture, which resulted in conflicts with the existing institutional framework, the agreement could not advance, and only €38,500 of the budget was utilized. To move forward with the nomination dossier, the Ministry of Culture earmarked €145,000 from its own funds. This project began on November 30, 2020, and was completed on September 30, 2023.”
“All these efforts are to ensure that ‘Caesar is given what is Caesar’s,’ and to clear up any misunderstandings,” the minister concluded.
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