The archaeological site of the Palace of Pella, the birthplace and childhood home of Alexander the Great, has officially opened to the public, marking a major milestone in the long-term effort to make one of ancient Macedonia’s most important monuments accessible and understandable to visitors. The palace complex, covering roughly 70 acres, occupies a prominent hill north of the ancient city and formed the political and ceremonial center of the Macedonian kingdom.
According to the Ephorate of Antiquities of Pella, the palace was built in successive phases from the reign of Philip II through the Hellenistic period. It consisted of seven main buildings arranged on terraced levels, housing reception halls, banquet rooms, council chambers, royal apartments, a palestra for the education of royal youths and aristocrats, as well as auxiliary spaces and stables. Following the Roman conquest in 168 BCE, the complex was looted and abandoned and never rebuilt.
Excavations at the site began in 1959 but were slow and intermittent due to the palace’s vast size and extensive stone removal over centuries. A comprehensive master plan developed by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Pella, and funded through European and national development programs, has now transformed the site into a structured archaeological park. A new visitor reception building has also opened, featuring interpretive material and digital displays designed to help visitors navigate a monument that largely survives at the foundation level.
Speaking at the recent inauguration, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni emphasized the broader significance of the project. “Central Macedonia has at least two Macedonian palaces, those of Aigai and Pella, which must be approached as a unified whole – as the places of Philip and Alexander,” she said, underlining the need for a coordinated strategy for their promotion.
The opening of the palace coincides with new additions to the nearby Archaeological Museum of Pella. Two marble statues from the Hellenistic period, discovered in 2015 during excavations in the Agora of Pella, are now on display after years of conservation. Found in a building with both administrative and cultic functions, one statue depicts Silenus, associated with the cult of Dionysus, and originally served as an architectural support. Traces of original color are still visible. A second votive statue from the same context is preserved in very good condition.
From the upcoming tourist season, electronic ticketing will be introduced for both the museum and the palace, as part of a wider digital platform unifying hundreds of archaeological sites across Greece and offering enhanced visitor services, including digital tours.
