On Primorsky Boulevard in Odesa, near the monument to Duke de Richelieu, archaeological excavations have been completed by students of the South Ukrainian National Pedagogical University and staff from the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

This information was shared by the rector of the university, Andriy Krasnozhon, on Facebook.

“The archaeological expedition on Primorsky Boulevard is complete. The season has been extraordinarily successful,” he wrote.

Among the most significant finds are archaeological materials of 14th-century Genoese origin discovered near the monument. They indicate that this area was initially part of the Italian Ginestra and later became an Ottoman fortress. Remains of fortifications from that time were found near the funicular.

Andriy Krasnozhon promises to provide more detailed results of the excavations soon.

In a comment on the post, Ivan Liptuga, the director of the Department of Culture of the Odesa City Council, noted that this is a significant event for the city, the country, and history.

“This will now become one of the attributes of a UNESCO World Heritage site!” he added.

Liptuga also mentioned that there are plans to install a glass dome over the excavated area.

“It may be possible to cover the remains of the fortress on Primorsky Boulevard with glass, and the outlines of the structure could be marked with tiles of a different color. If this idea is approved, we will also install a bronze informative plaque explaining what was located at this site,” he emphasized.