The Venizelou Metro Station Rescue Excavations

Documenting Thessaloniki's ancient urban history unearthed within the Metro construction site.

When construction began on the Thessaloniki Metro at Venizelou station, workers uncovered a remarkably preserved section of the city's ancient Byzantine decumanus (main street).

Operating the HeliCam in a cramped urban excavation trench surrounded by modern building facades and traffic was incredibly challenging. The resulting top-down photos captured the complex layout of the ancient walls, paving stones, and partitions before they were carefully relocated.

Overview of The Venizelou Metro Station Rescue Excavations

A top-down aerial photograph of an active archaeological excavation site situated between busy urban roadways and high-rise buildings. The ruins reveal ancient stone foundation walls and structural footprints exposed during city development.

A top-down detailed aerial photograph of excavated archaeological ruins, showcasing ancient stone wall foundations, a square plinth, and a semi-circular stone feature.

Nadir aerial photograph of an urban archaeological excavation site, showing stone ruins surrounded by modern concrete retaining walls and fencing.

Technical Specs

Date: June 2006
Location: Metro Venizelou, Greece
Technology: Custom-built HeliCam Remote-Controlled Helicopter
Imaging: DSLR Payload with Multi-Axis Gimbal Stabilization