The Project THE ANCIENT STADIUM OF PHILIPPOPOLIS – PRESERVATION, REHABILITATION AND URBAN RENEWAL is being realized with the support of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. The site is financed under priority sector 4 "Conservation of European Cultural Heritage". The Beneficiary of the project is Regional Administration - Plovdiv in partnership with Plovdiv Municipality, Association for cultural tourism and the Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage.

The project aims at contributing to finding a solution of a real urban problem, related to the Ancient Stadium of Philippopolis in Plovdiv, monument of culture of national importance: its exceptional cultural resource is unused, strongly discredited and without any contribution to the cultural tourism. The overall objective of the project is to reveal the role of the Ancient Stadium as a resource for sustainable development, in conformity with the objective of the ЕЕА Financial Mechanism. A strong social impact in the most vibrant urban historical area is anticipated. The specific objective of the project aims at the preservation and rehabilitation of the Ancient Stadium, as a stimulus for urban renewal, enhancement of the functionality and fundamental alteration of the present approach to urban archaeology. The project will be a pilot implementation of the new Master Plan of Plovdiv (2007) that considers valorisation of the urban archaeology in an integral structure rich in public functions – Underground Museum of Philippopolis. For this aim the project will accomplish conservation, rehabilitation and exhibition of the archaeological environment, considering also the needs of disabled people. In order to reveal the hidden structure of the Ancient Stadium, the project considers urban renewal and innovatory application of the multimedia technologies in the urban environment. This will enhance functionality through reclaiming of the underground archaeological space for a presentation centre and re-organising of the traditional bazaar of the Plovdiv artists. The whole cultural environment will be promoted as an economically effective tourist product. Regarding the project implementation, a Norwegian - Bulgarian Centre for urban archaeology will function ad hoc, for exchange of experience and complex education of students and young specialists.