The project: “Consolidation and Restoration of the Western Tower at the Castle of Servia,” which was included in the Operational Programme “Western Macedonia 2014-2020,” was implemented by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kozani during the years 2020-2023 and essentially constituted the follow-up project of the previous work focusing on the restoration of the western tower. Throughout the project’s implementation, the western tower’s restoration works were conducted to ensure its structural adequacy according to the approved architectural and structural design, in compliance with international principles and good practice for interventions.
Given the particular nature of the archaeological site and the difficulties of access to it, it was considered appropriate, before the work began, to resolve practical issues concerning both the arrangement of the construction site (such as the lack of a water supply system, and the difficulty of transporting the building material for the restoration of the tower) and the extensive deforestation of the archaeological site by cutting grass and removing the combustible plant material (leaf litter, fallen dead branches). In order to repair the damaged parts of the tower, scaffolding was placed around it, framed by a protective net.
A significant loss of building material could be observed in extensive parts of the tower, mainly on the western facade and partially on the northern and southern faces. The loose mortar was removed in these places, and the joints were cleaned deeply with special tools, good washing, and pressurized air. However, severe deep weathering of the mortar was observed at the foot of the west side. In this section, the foundation was consolidated, followed by the recovery of the lost face of the masonry with new material. Traditional techniques were used at all project stages, and original building material (stones, bricks) collected from the wider castle area was also used.
New grouting was then applied in accordance with the existing grouting in the adjacent areas, while all the tower walls were homogenized by applying grout to fill in the gaps. For the mortar and grout compositions, older compositions were used, i.e., the ones that had already been applied in previous phases of restoration and that had been proposed by the Laboratory of Building Materials of the University of Thessaloniki. Before their final application, several samples were made to ensure their on-site behavior and determine their color, texture, and form.
The opening of the extensive, vertical crack that stretched across the middle of the western side of the tower was examined by removing many of the existing stones. Loose mortar was removed, and after the necessary cleaning, this section was reconstructed by stitching stones and grouting. Finally, the collapsed section of the ramparts was reconstructed.
During the contemporary restorations, an attempt was made to maintain a sense of authenticity by preserving, as far as possible, the identifiability of the monument as an integral part of the fortification enclosure. On the tower walls, parts that had not suffered significant deterioration were preserved in their original form as testimony to the monument’s historical significance. All the restorations are distinguishable from the original sections, as they are separated by placing a thin lead sheet embedded in the masonry.
The difficulties that arose during the beginning of the project, but also during its implementation, were mainly related to the particularity of the archaeological site where the construction site was set up (steep terrain, remote location with difficult access for large transport vehicles), its poor access to water, but also the unpredictable factor of the covid-19 pandemic, which in many cases delayed the progress of the project. Furthermore, personnel were required to work, almost throughout the project, on scaffolding, which, at its highest level, reached a height of about 20 m. while following all the necessary personal protection measures.
Completing this project is part of a broader effort of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kozani to consolidate and restore the architectural remains of the citadel in order to protect it and prevent further deterioration of its structural integrity. At the same time, it constitutes a continuation of previous actions for the promotion and enhancement of the archaeological site of Servia as an extended ensemble of monuments that are fully integrated into their natural environment, but also as a template for future interventions in the area of the Byzantine castle of Servia.
The creation of this website is part of the implementation of the Act “Consolidation and Restoration of the Western Tower of the Castle of Servia,” which was implemented by the Ephorate of Antiquities of Kozani and co-funded by Greece and the European Union / European Regional Development Fund through the Operational Programme “Western Macedonia” of the NSRF 2014-2020.
