A week after the official opening of one of the emblems of Plovdiv – Nebet Tepe, work activities continue. Floor lights are being dug in, the outlined paths still need to be paved, the grass is being mowed. Thus, neither the workers can calmly complete their finishing works on the site, nor can visitors enjoy the renovated tepe.
It is still not clear why the site is being rushed to open, as the restoration works and repairs lasted nearly 2.5 years. Nearly 8 million leva were invested. For the next 5 years, access to the archaeological site is free, as the money is for a European project that prohibits commercial activity with a site renovated with them. Thus, a de facto "Entrance" fee can be introduced after the expiration of this 5-year period.
The controversial fence surrounding the site remains. It is located on the side of the Armenian School and is 50 meters long. Its installation was not coordinated with the National Institute for Immovable Cultural Heritage. “The assignment does not require the project to install a fence. It creates a different image and way of functioning of the complex, by limiting access. For the needs of the site's security, the installation of video surveillance is permissible“ the Institute's opinion states.
The archaeologist who leads the excavations of Nebet Tepe – Sofia Hristeva has a different opinion. According to her, a fence was installed in the steepest parts of the complex and protects people from accidents.
The restoration works also revealed one of the most interesting parts of Nebet Tepe – the “secret tunnel“. Archaeologists suggest that it was a secret passage to the foot of the hill, where water and provisions were stored during times of unrest. A reservoir has also been discovered, long thought to date back to the Middle Ages or the Ottoman Empire. The research activities of archaeologists show that this is the earliest reservoir on the hill, built in the 2nd century.
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