There are places where the past is not just memory, but a living force capable of resisting the elements and the most insidious challenges. The Archaeological Park of Sibari is one of these. On Saturday 25 April, on a date that for the whole of Italy symbolizes the end of a nightmare and the return to freedom, Sibari celebrates his personal “Liberation” from mud and water: the Parco del Cavallo officially reopens its gates to the public. It is a goal that smells of pride and dignity, achieved after two months of work carried out with unprecedented speed. If in 2013 another flood condemned the site to three years of oblivion, today the management of the Archaeological Parks of Crotone and Sibari demonstrates that with competence and commitment the course of events can be changed.
The director Filippo Demmawho personally followed every phase of the restoration, announces the reopening, first of all underlining the total integrity of the heritage: “It is essential to reassure everyone: the finds were never in danger. The mud never reached the deposits and every ancient object has always remained in complete safety. In recent months, dozens of women and men have worked hard to clean up and monitor an asset that belongs to everyone: we have chosen to respond to the debates and specious controversies raised in these hours with the concreteness of the results and with the transparency of our work, which does not give up even in the face of electrical faults or rising water tables.”.
To celebrate the day of liberation from Nazi-fascism, entry to the Park will be free for the whole day, from 9:00 to 19:00. The staff of the Ministry of Culture will welcome visitors with two special archaeological walks, scheduled for 11:00 and 16:00, to guide the public among the remains of a thousand-year-old civilization that is shining again today.
The Director does not hide the difficulties encountered in the Casabianca area, where the situation is more complex: “The aquifer continues to return water because the Wellpoint system, which should maintain its level below the ground, was completely destroyed by the flood. We are currently emptying the area for the third time in two months, using every means possible and water pumps always in operation.. If Casabianca is not yet completely dry it is not due to lack of funds, already allocated by the Ministry of Culture, but due to the delay in heavy industry supplies blocked by the complex international situationWhile waiting for the specialized companies to deliver the new systems at the end of the month, the Park continues to operate with electro-powered submersible pumps to counteract the force of nature.
The director concludes: “We return after just two months of forced closure, demonstrating that culture is an engine that never stops and that our only objective remains the protection and enhancement of heritage. We invite everyone to be with us next Saturday: to honor our past and to look together at a future of rebirth, with finally dry and solid roots”.