The completion of the construction of the Visitor Centre within the Felix Romuliana site near Zaječar was officially marked with the presence of high-ranking officials of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Delegation of the European Union and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Boško Ničić, the Mayor of Zaječar, welcomed the guests and thanked the European Union, Germany and all partners who helped build the Visitor Centre. “Felix Romuliana is the place where the biggest and most important cultural events take place in Zaječar”, Ničić said.
The unique Imperial Palace Felix Romuliana was built at the turn of the third to the fourth century. It was built by the Roman emperor Galerius, because he wanted to spend the rest of his life in luxury and peace after his imperial service. Although the first investigations of Felix Romuliana began in the 19th century, its identity was officially determined only in 1984. That is when an archivolt was found – a semicircular arch connecting two columns, characteristic of ancient architecture, with the inscription in Latin – Felix Romuliana. It was named after Romula, the mother of Emperor Galerius, to whom he dedicated this magnificent construction. Since then, numerous researchers and excavations have revealed a large part of buildings, walls and temples, and a large number of mosaics, one of the most beautifully preserved from the late antique period.
“With this undertaking, the European Union and Germany have shown how important it is to properly present the cultural and historical heritage, not only in Serbia, but also in Europe and the world. There are many archaeological sites in Serbia, but Felix Romuliana is the only site recommended by UNESCO and the whole world. We have to make an effort to pool our resources to present to the world what the world has recognized as the most representative monument”, said Nikola Selaković, Minister of Culture in the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
The construction of the Visitor Centre was done within the framework of the “EU for Culture Heritage and Tourism” project, financed by the European Union and the Government of Germany, and implemented by GIZ. “Preserving the past and promoting it for the future is what the European Union is doing through the ‘EU for Cultural Heritage and Tourism’ project. Today we see the completion of the works on the Visitor Centre on Felix Romuliana, last week we marked the completion of the first phase of the renovation of the King’s Vinery in Topola, we are working on wineries near Negotin and we are still proud of the Golubac Fortress and Fetislam, whose reconstruction we recently supported. All these investments are designed not only to protect our common cultural heritage in Europe, but also to strengthen tourism in this region and support the local economy and the creation of new jobs”, said Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia.
Through the project “EU for Cultural Heritage and Tourism”, in addition to other activities, famous cultural and historical objects in Eastern Serbia were restored. The construction of the Felix Romuliana Visitor Centre created an opportunity for the further development of this important site, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
“German development cooperation has supported Serbia in various areas of economic development, including the preservation of cultural heritage and sustainable tourism. The Visitor Centre was built in line with modern standards: it is energy efficient and uses heat pumps. It is much more than a building – it is a place to provide information to different target groups and to provide a historical, social and economic context for the site itself”, said Carsten Meyer-Wiefhausen, Deputy German Ambassador to Serbia. He added that by investing in localities such as Felix Romuliana, the potential of the cultural heritage, which is the pride of the community, to create economic and sustainable tourism opportunities has been recognized.
The project “EU for Cultural Heritage and Tourism” aims to promote Eastern Serbia and Podunavlje as an attractive cultural and tourist destination. Eight municipalities from Eastern Serbia and the Municipality of Topola from Šumadija participate in the project.
