Thessaloniki finally unveils its controversial new metro system

In Greece, the long-awaited Thessaloniki metro system was inaugurated on November 30, 2024. The project, which took 22 years to complete, unearthed over 300,000 ancient treasures. Many of these artifacts will be showcased in the metro stations, symbolizing the city's rich historical heritage. The project aimed to modernize urban transport while integrating significant archaeological finds into its infrastructure. A fully automated rapid transit system now serves as a cornerstone for urban mobility, projected to accommodate more than 250,000 daily passengers, thereby significantly reducing road traffic. However, the challenges faced during construction, including the deep excavation needed to preserve antiquities and subsequent redesigns, stirred controversy among historians and archaeologists, some of whom see the alteration of historical finds as detrimental to their authenticity. Despite mixed feelings about the impact on cultural heritage, the opening of the system is also viewed as a crucial infrastructural development for Thessaloniki, echoing the significance of earlier projects like the Athens subway, inaugurated almost 25 years ago. The grand opening attracted many officials, signalling a moment of pride amidst a history of governmental challenges in executing public projects in Greece.