The submission of the so called 'nomination proposal' marks the end of a long process of assembling all of the detailed maps and documentary information about the site.
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of 'outstanding universal value' and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria such as ‘representing a masterpiece of human creative genius’, or ‘be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history,” according to UNESCO's website.
The most important site in Eastern Macedonia
The archaeological site at Philippi is widely considered to be the most important archaeological site in Eastern Macedonia. The site was originally colonized by the people of Thasos, who, aware of the area's plentiful supplies of precious metals, timber, and agricultural products, established the city of Krinides in 360 BC. Soon after its establishment, however, Krinides was threatened by the Thracians (365 BC) and turned to King Philip II of Macedon for help. Realizing its economic and strategic potential, Philip conquered, fortified, and renamed the city after himself.
Subsequently the city became a key center for early Christianity. Saint Paul founded the first Christian Church on European soil at Philippi in 49/50 AD.
The establishment of the new religion and the city's proximity to Constantinople, the Roman Empire's new capital, brought new splendor. Three magnificent basilicas and the Octagon complex, the cathedral dedicated to Saint Paul, were erected in the city center in the fourth-sixth centuries AD. After a series of earthquakes and Slavic raids, the lower city was gradually abandoned early in the seventh century. Philippi survived into the Byzantine period as a fortress, until its final demise in the late fourteenth century, after the Turkish conquest.
Having been ultimately abandoned served to preserve the ancient ruins, unlike at other ancient sites that were buried under modern cities. It has long been a protected area meaning that there are no modern buildings on the ancient site.
Today visitors can see the remains of the ancient city with its agora, and ancient theater as well as the cathedral complex where thousands of Christianity’s earliest adherents were baptized after making pilgrimages to the city.
The Evaluation
UNESCO’s advisory bodies will now begin the first phase in the lengthy process of the proposal’s evaluation. However individuals involved in the process on the Greek side both from the municipality in Kavala and from the ministry of culture, state that they are optimistic. They maintain that the Greek proposal meets all of the requirements laid out by UNESCO and that it is only fitting for Ancient Philippi to be included in the organization’s list of World Heritage Sites.
Dimitra Malamidou, an archaeologist who worked on preparing the nomination proposal said that it remained to be seen which other countries would also be submitting proposals in this round of bids. There would be a period until February when corrections and additional information can be sent to the advisory bodies as they assess the bids. A final decision is expected in June 2015.
Should the nomination proposal ultimately be approved it will be far from the first archaeological site in Greece to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In total the country has 17 such sites including the Acropolis, Dephi, Meteora and the monasteries of Agios Oros. The last site to be included on the list was the Old Town of Corfu which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007.
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