With the restoration of the middle section, work will continue on ancient theater of Dodoni as part of its strategic maintenance plan. This plan includes the history of operations in the theater from 2000 until today, the evaluation of the restoration operations in the inferior cavity, the updated recording of the pathology of each individual area of the monument, the analysis – verification of the geometry of the monument based on previous studies and the newer data, obtained during the execution of the project, the temporal prioritization of the works based on the experience gained and the principles of restoration applied to the lower hollow.
The Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni characterized the project of restoring the ancient theater of Dodoni as one of the most complex and difficult projects, which the competent services of Ministry of Culture as the limestone with which it was built was crumbling, due to the environmental conditions that prevail in the area.
“The last phase of the restoration and enhancement project of the ancient theater of Dodoni, with a budget of 4,790,500 euros, funded by the Regional Operational Program of Epirus NSRF 2014-2020, has been completed in terms of the bottom hollow. Using innovative methods, work will continue with the restoration of the middle diazoma. In the lower hollow, the original geometry of the theater was adequately documented, through the identification of authentic sections and carvings of the natural rock. Geometry has been a constant demand, either as a restoration of geometric regularity, or as a restoration of the original geometry of the theater in the intervention areas, according to the scientific data from the general study of the monument, as well as what emerged during the development of the project. The results obtained during the study – restoration of the lower cavity are the indicator of the situation, which also prevails in the middle cavity, in which it is planned to start work immediately with funding from the Epirus NSRF 2021-2027 PEP. The ancient theater of Dodoni is included in the Cultural Route of Epirus, which is implemented by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Region of Epirus and also includes the ancient theaters of Gitani, Ambrakia, Kassopi, Nikopolis” notes the Minister of Culture.
To date, the restoration of the lower hollow of the theater, the stands (1st to 9th) and the 1st diazoma, in the section of the four stands from the east, has been carried out. Regarding the history of the interventions, during the years 2002-2007 maintenance work was carried out throughout the lower cavity of the theater. In the two years 2008-2010, the pilot implementation works of the study of fixing and restoration of the theater were completed, from the first eastern stand of the lower zone of the hollow and the adjacent eastern analemma. In 2011, the restoration works of the stands began gradually and by stand, from K2A to K6A, and were completed in 2015. As part of the project of the period 2014-2020, the restoration works were carried out on the stands from K7A to K9A and the adjacent western fence , at which point the restoration of the lower cavity zone was completed.
The time sequence of the following works is as follows: it foresees the restoration of the middle zone (stands, suspensions and external staircases) starting from stand 5B with the aim of bringing geometric regularity to this zone of the monument. Then the restoration of the theater will take place. This is the longest part of the monument, which has not undergone structural interventions, as it was not included in the restoration works of 1960. Regarding the pathology of the second zone, the amphitheater and the retaining walls, the documentation has shown that this is a part of the monument which has suffered a dramatic loss of material, mainly in the apical areas, due to the collapse of the lateral abutments that supported the supporting embankments at the periphery of the hollow. Intervention in the theater cannot, at present, be adequately defined. However, the studies and work that have been carried out in the lower hollow, and are planned to be applied in the middle one as well, are a base and reservoir of information necessary for the final management of the theater. The ancient theater of Dodoni is located at the northwest end of the sanctuary of the same name. It dates back to the beginning of the 3rd century BC. h. during the reign of Pyrrhus (296-272 BC). The immediate need to restore the ancient theater and highlight the archaeological site of Dodoni, led to the inclusion of the projects in the Credit Management Fund for the Execution of Archaeological Projects of the YPPO, in 2000, and the start of the restoration project. The current shape of the monument is due to the strengthening and restoration operations carried out in the 1960s and 1970s. The theater consists of the orchestra, the stage and the hollow. High ramparts to the east, south and west surround and support the hollow. The cavity is divided into three diazomes with 55 rows of nests in total. The two lower sections are divided by stairs into 9 stands and the upper section into 18. In the ancient theater of Dodoni, performances were held from 1960 until the summer of 1999, when the Ministry of Culture decided to suspend its concession, in order to carry out maintenance and restoration work . At the beginning of the restoration work, the original geometry of the monument was investigated. Since 2002 and for 22 years, the Services of the Ministry of Culture, academics and external collaborators, have worked intensively and systematically in order to restore the lower cavern of the theater.
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