Svestari in a new light – Reconstruction of the Svestari’ tomb

The reconstruction project included the replacement of all building services within the tomb itself, the protective envelope, and the complete renewal of the exhibition areas.

The Sveshtari Thracian Tomb is one of the most recognizable cultural landmarks in Bulgaria and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its discovery in 1982 by a team led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Chichikova, together with the construction of the protective dome by a team headed by architect Teofilov and engineer Totev, became one of the most significant events of its time in the fields of archaeology and engineering. Unfortunately, the most recent construction and restoration works prior to our intervention had been carried out as early as 2001 by a team led by architect Petar Stryaskov. Twenty years later, the tomb had reached a pre-emergency condition.

The original climate control system was no longer operational, and the specific microclimate was maintained solely by a mobile unit provided through a donation. The artistic lighting was worn and partially damaged, forcing tour guides to rely on handheld flashlights during visits. The gallery–labyrinth in the antechamber of the burial chamber was in a severely deteriorated state.

Our team was engaged at a moment that can be described as critical. The tomb was at risk of losing a grant from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), administered by the Credo Bonum Foundation, and the project had to be executed under a reduced budget and within very tight time constraints.

We consulted architect Stryaskov and the designer of the original HVAC system, engineer Tsvyatko Kadiyski, both of whom agreed to provide pro bono consultancy in order to align the reconstruction with the concept of the most recent design previously developed for the Sveshtari Tomb.

In allocating the available budget, priority was given to the most urgent issues: replacement of the HVAC system and lighting, and reconstruction of the antechamber gallery.

For the design of the artistic lighting, we engaged Sutton Vane Associates, one of the world’s leading lighting design studios. The firm specializes in lighting for art, museums, and the interiors and exteriors of historic buildings, with notable projects including the Chinese Terracotta Army at the British Museum, Winchester Cathedral, the Roman Baths in Bath, York Minster, and many others.

Following a comprehensive analysis, the lighting designers addressed deficiencies in the existing system and, through the use of specially designed luminaires, restored the sense of three-dimensionality of the caryatids. The general lighting scheme was designed to emphasize the burial chamber, while each significant interior and exterior element can be illuminated independently and controlled by the tour guide.

During the reconstruction of the gallery–labyrinth located in the antechamber of the tomb, we largely adhered to the concept developed in architect Stryaskov’s original project. The layout and grid of the display cases were preserved. The metal display structures were removed and replaced with large-scale glass panels mounted on concealed tracks above the suspended ceiling. Some of the panels are operable via sliding mechanisms, allowing access for maintenance and replacement of installations behind them. The content and graphic design of the panels were developed by specialists from the Archaeological Museum in Isperih.

The renovated tomb reopened to the public on 08 June 2022.