The town of Ptuj, in northeastern Slovenia, has been transformed in recent years, partly thanks to funds dedicated by the European Union. The architect responsible for the project told Smart Regions what his team discovered.
The restoration of Ptuj's old town began in August 2021. The project uncovered ancient structures and features that had been hidden for centuries.
Architect Matevž Zalar, who headed the project, provided more details; he explained to Euronews there were layers of old pebbles buried below the pavement.
"We decided during the project to reuse them in as many surfaces as possible. The archaeologist found a lot of remains from Ptuj's medieval city and also, some smaller parts from the Roman era. During the excavations on the square, they found a fountain, one at the square and one fountain here at the quarter. And we wanted to preserve or to present both of them.
"Now we are in the small hall for 80 people, which looked like that when we came. We found here this old theatre stage and all the elements of the historical building: windows, doors, etc., which we decided to present in the new design.
"And that is the final result. Then you feel like you are indoors but also like you are outdoors. You can open all those windows and then connect the interior spaces to the courtyard," he concluded.