Works at Republic Square in Belgrade halted – Institute for the Protection of Monuments stops reconstruction due to archaeological discoveries

The works at the Republic Square in Belgrade have been halted indefinitely, as has been confirmed for Novosti at the Institute for the Protection of Monuments. After the discovery of the remains of the Stambol Gate and what are assumed to be Roman graves discovered nearby, the machines were stopped.

In late September, the foundations of the long since demolished Stambol Gate were uncovered by the machinery, and last week, archaeological items believed to be Roman graves, though not yet confirmed by the Institute, were discovered.

– We do not want to make official confirmations about these archaeological discoveries without clear proof – says Olivera Vuckovic, the director of the Institute for the Protection of Monuments.

– Once everything has been examined, we will inform the public. Still, all the works have been stopped until we learn what exactly is located there. We will then see how to protect it all and whether to change the project of the reconstruction of the Republic Square accordingly.

The construction site has been empty since last week, only visited occasionally by individual workers and archaeologists from the Institute. When asked how the works will develop from now on and whether the possibility of changing the project was included in the initial completion deadline of 420 days, the Belgrade Land Development Public Agency failed to answer.

Everything seems to depend on the Institute now. The continuation of the works depends on their assessment, that is, the decision whether to conserve the excavations or to partially or fully change the project.

Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Beograd

Republic Square

reconstruction of Republic Square

Stambol Gate

Olivera Vuckovic