The auditorium and theater building at the archeological site of Scupi have been completely explored and 8,500 valuable artifacts have been unearthed in the past three years. The next stage foresees reconstruction and conservation of the theater building belonging to what is considered the largest ancient theater with a 9,000-seat capacity.

Visiting the archeological site of Scupi, situated 5 kilometers northwest of Skopje, Minister of Culture Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska was informed Wednesday about the dynamic of the plan to reconstruct the ancient theater.

“While the site was excavated, nearly 8,500 invaluable artifacts have been discovered from different eras, including the Roman, classical, medieval period, etc. All of these items, coins, ceramic objects, etc, are planned to be exhibited by the end of this year or in early 2016,” Kanceska-Milevska told reporters while touring the site.

Work to reconstruct and conserve the theater building in Scupi has already begun, while the auditorium is to be reconstructed next year in order the whole site to be put into function by the end of 2017.

“The Scupi Theater, with a capacity of up to 9,000 seats, is of great importance, because it could host many cultural events and attract numerous tourists with its historical and archeological value,” stressed Kanceska-Milevska.

The archeological site of Scupi will be one of the largest and most luxurious sites in Macedonia, said Skopje Mayor Koce Trajanovski who accompanied the Culture Minister today.

“I hope the reconstruction of this archeological site will make the City of Skopje even more interesting for tourists who will come to visit Skopje, to tour and attend cultural events at Scupi,” he stated adding that several infrastructural projects would be implemented near the site, including roads, parking lots, etc.

Scupi is one of the largest Roman cities in the Balkans with the status of a colony.