Museum complex “Scythian Naples” Simferopol in Crimea by KIRAMET

Article source: KIRAMET

The necessity of the museum complex \”Scythian Naples\” construction is determined by the fact that now \”Scythian Naples\” is the only scientific, cultural and educational institution in Crimea, which activity is focused on the Scythian subject matter. The ancient city of Scythian Naples itself is worldwide known as the capital Crimean fortress and the collections of its excavations are exhibited in the leading museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

• Architects: KIRAMET
• Project: Museum complex \”Scythian Naples\”
• Location: Simferopol, Crimea

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

According to the statistics of the Resorts and Tourism Ministry of the Republic of Crimea the interest of tourists and guests of Crimea to this unique project is very high and increasing each year.

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The site of the ancient city of Scythian Neapolis is currently represented by the turned into a museum section of the fortress wall with the central gates and the tower bases, the remains of the Southern Palace, the mausoleums of kings Skilur and Argot, the ritual bath with mysterious signs and the complex of grain pits dated back to the II – III centuries BC. The observation platform which offers a panoramic view of the entire ancient city and modern Simferopol is arranged on the roof of the tower.

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The image of Scythian burial mound, a sacred burial structure which hides under the ground the world of mystery, history and life of the Scythian epoch, was used as an idea of the museum construction. The architectural-planning feature of the building is its multi-functional interior space, combining museum rooms with exhibits which were turned into a museum at the construction site of the museum complex.

The museum building consists of three main exhibition halls with dioramas. The building is also provided with the administrative section containing booking offices, a restoration workshop, a library and a fund storage.

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In the main halls it is planned to exhibit some archaeological objects on their historic places. These objects, studied and backfilled at the moment, are the dugouts of the first century BC, the sanctuary of \”three menhirs\” of the second century BC and the megarons. The exposition in the largest hall can be supplemented by some projection screens. In the transition halls it is supposed to display holographic images of the collections of the Scythian gold and household items that are in the funds of the world museums.

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There are no partition walls or steps between the halls. The entire interior opens gradually for the museum visitors from the entry zone. The visitors can move from one hall to another along the ramps from different levels, creating their own parallels and connections of historical events. In the central hall an observation deck is planned to be constructed where the whole exposition will become completely visible, displaying the general historical picture, enhanced by the effect of three-dimensional holograms and projectors.

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All premises are covered by the unified parametric concrete shell over the metal frame. Outside the shell is coated with the layer of lawn grass and decorative inserts of annual and perennial groundcover plants. Inside the shell looks like the natural cave vaults, and outside of it you can walk over the landscaped hill. The entrance portal is made of white polished concrete with the fragments of typical Scythian patterns. There is a square in front of the entrance, the perimeter of which is surrounded by the Scythian stone idols.

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The museum offers its guests to visit the real archaeological excavations organized at the territory of the Naples-Scythian reserve.

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Creating the museum complex will facilitate transferring the status of Simferopol from the transit center to the cultural one in the eyes of the peninsula guests and speed up the development of the main activities of the reserve, such as:

– archaeological research, conservation, restoration and reconstruction of the Scythian Naples, the archaeological complex Ak-Kaya and some other monuments of the late Scythian Crimea;
– the development of various areas of experimental archeology (reconstruction of ancient mechanisms, making accurate replicas of archaeological findings, approbation of some ancient and Scythian building technologies, production of ceramic and metal articles);
– scientific-educational and excursion work, development of archaeological tourism;
– organization of expositions and exhibitions of archaeological, historical and comparative ethnographic areas.

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Image Courtesy © KIRAMET

Tags: Simferopol, Ukraine

Categories: complex, Museum

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