Today is a historic day for our country, a historic day for our culture, a historic day for our cultural heritage, as we sign the contract for the construction of the new Cyprus Museum in Nicosia.
This is a project that was announced by the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicos Anastasiades, and he had set it among his priorities, and today it is with great joy and pride that we sign the contract for its construction. This is the largest project in the state budget, amounting to approximately €144 million including VAT,
One of the things we are proud of in the government of Nicos Anastasiades and especially we in the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works is that we have succeeded in having under construction important and long-awaited projects, which have been demanded by local communities and stakeholders for decades.
Allow me to mention some of them. In 2022, we delivered, among others, the new Limassol Stadium, the Famagusta District Court, the northern bypass of Geroskipou as well as the Kyperounda Hospital. We also signed and implemented the investment in Larnaca Marina and Port. At the same time, a significant number of road network projects are under construction, such as the Paphos - Polis, Limassol - Saitta, Akrunda - Dihronas - Arakapa motorway, the Nicosia peripheral motorway, the Astromeritis - Evrychou motorway, the upgrading of the Larnaca - Dhekelia and Deryneia - Sotiras roads, as well as the upgrading of Kappari Avenue in Paralimni.
We are also implementing the photocertification project, while in January the Nicosia - Paleochorio motorway (Anayia - Agrokipia section) will be signed and in the next few days the Ippokratous - Argyroupoleos section.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Currently the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works has under its responsibility projects and developments with budgets reaching €3 billion.
€1.8 billion in government projects and €1.2 billion development at the Port and Marina of Larnaca.
Regarding projects for the culture of our country and especially our antiquities, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works has completed the upgrading of the Paphos and Larnaca museums, the consolidation of the archaeological sites of Paphos, and we are proceeding with the consolidation of the archaeological sites of Polis Chrysochous and Larnaca. In addition, the Museum of Maritime Archaeology in Larnaca is progressing, while it is worth mentioning that a significant number of ancient monuments (Table B) such as ancient monasteries, churches, chapels, fountains, water mills, etc. have been upgraded and restored in recent years.
There is no doubt that today we are implementing the greatest development policy our country has ever had.
For many, many years, especially since my time as Mayor of Ayia Napa, I have been a strong supporter of the integrated tourism experience strategy, which aims to create experiences and positive memories for our visitors, so that when they return home we make sure that they have "taken something of our Cyprus with them", thus creating a desire to come back to us as repeat visitors.
The way to achieve the integrated tourist experience is to create landmarks such as the New Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, which we are signing the contract to build today and will be the flagship of Cyprus' landmarks. Our ambition is to make it the pre-eminent landmark of our country and one of the most important museums in Europe.
This is a unique museum, an attraction, a landmark, that is, a project which, with its particular aesthetic, architectural or historical significance for a region, is a trademark, which will offer visitors an experience and impress them. My prediction is that it will become the number one tourist attraction in Cyprus and will be the first choice for our millions of tourists, it will also attract a significant number of visitors to the capital, with significant economic, social and cultural benefits. Most importantly, it will be among the most important museums in Europe, both for its unique architecture, but also for its exhibits and the experience it will offer. Nicosia, with this museum, will become a point of reference and evolution on the European cultural map.
Just as Paris has the Louvre Museum, London has the British Museum, Athens has the Acropolis Museum, we will now have the New Cyprus Museum in Nicosia, which will operate with free admission, since as a government we have established free admission to the museums of the Department of Antiquities, proving in practice that the government of Nicos Anastasiades supports culture and at the same time leaves a legacy of works for future generations.
The Museum, with a total area of 30,000sq.m. (including basements), will be built on a 40,000sq.m. plot, in an important central area of Nicosia, on the site of the old General Hospital, covering an area of 40,000sq.m. opposite the House of Representatives and adjacent to the existing Cyprus Museum and the Nicosia Municipal Theatre. It will include permanent exhibition spaces of 5,500sqm that will house around 6,500 antiquities, temporary exhibition spaces of 1,000sqm, educational programme spaces, conservation workshops of 2,000sqm, underground parking, 5,000sqm of antiquities storage, restaurant, cafeteria, library, amphitheatre, offices, shop/art shop and extensive landscaping of the exterior. The landscaping works will include a public square with a fountain, which will mark and enhance the new, improved image of the urban centre.
In addition, the contract includes the restoration/maintenance of a listed building and the demolition of other existing buildings.
The project has been awarded to the consortium "Iacovou - Cyfield (M) Joint Venture" for a contract amount of €143,924,216 including VAT.
The construction works of the project will start in January 2023 and will be completed within 42 months and the contract foresees a maintenance period of two years and a provision for negotiating a 10-year maintenance period. After completion of the construction works, a period of 18 months is foreseen for the completion of the museographic works, including the transport and installation of the exhibits. Therefore, it is expected that the Museum will be handed over in 60 months.
The detailed project design and tender documents were prepared by "Theoni Xanthi XZA Architects LLC" following an architectural competition, under the coordination of the Department of Public Works, and the design contract includes a provision for project supervision. The project was bid by the Department of Public Works, which will also undertake the coordination, supervision and management of the contract.
At this point, I would like to congratulate all those involved in this successful process that has led us today to the signing of the contracts for the construction of the New Cyprus Museum. First of all to my predecessors, Mr. Marios Demetriades and Mrs. Vasiliki Anastasiadou, the former and former Director General of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works Mr. Alekos Michaelides and Mr. Stavros Michael as well as the current Deputy Director General Mr.
I must also congratulate the Department of Public Works, which undertook the whole process of maturation and tender of the project and especially the Deputy Director Ms. Chrystalla Malloupa, Mr. Socrates Zapitis and Mr. Antonis Koutsoullis, as well as the former contract coordinator Mr. Phoebus Iakovidis and the coordinator Ms. Eva Iordanou, the 1st Architect Michalis Papageorgiou and the Head of the Tenders and Contracts Branch of the TPI, Ms.
I would also like to congratulate the Department of Electromechanical Services which had the responsibility of checking the electrical and mechanical studies. Congratulations also to the Department of Antiquities, whose role was important in the whole project. I would like to congratulate its scientific staff and its consultants, under the guidance of the Director, Mrs. Marina Ieronymidou, and the Curators of Museums, formerly Mrs. George Georgiou, who determined the museological approach of the new exhibition, while ensuring the safe keeping and exhibition of Cypriot antiquities in the premises of the New Cyprus Museum.
The Department of Antiquities has the necessary expertise and will undertake, in parallel with the construction of the building, the implementation of the two tenders for the graphic installations and digital applications in the new museum, along with the major responsibility of maintenance and the huge undertaking of the safe transport of the antiquities.
I also thank the Administrative Staff of the Ministry, the First Administrative Officer, Mrs. Afroditi Koufterou, the Senior Administrative Officer, Mrs. Chrystalla Christou and the Administrative Officer Mrs. Alexia Christofi for supporting the whole effort.
I would also like to thank the Minister of Health, Michalis Hatzipandela, who resolved the issue of moving the medical services, an issue that had to be resolved before the signing of the contract
Finally, I would like to thank the architect of the Museum, Ms. Theoni Xanthi. Dear Theoni, I am sure that like us, you will feel proud that a magnificent and so important project that you have undertaken is moving forward to the implementation stage.
(ΘΓ/ΜΧ/ΣΧ)
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