Benghazi - Libya

A team of researchers and experts monitoring the antiquities of Benghazi are racing against time to revive the archaeological site of “Al-Ghalaitha Palaces”, located in the Tika area (about 15 kilometers west of Benghazi), through individual efforts and self-initiatives that seek to protect this cultural heritage from extinction, amid demands to provide the necessary financial and logistical support to rehabilitate the site to become a prominent tourist destination in eastern Libya.

Roman evidence combining defense and agriculture

The site includes unique military forts whose roots go back to the Roman era around the second century AD, when they were built as defensive lines to protect the western outskirts of the ancient city of Benghazi (which was historically known as “Bernik”) and neighboring cities. The importance of the site is not limited to the military aspect; Field inspections revealed the remains of olive presses and water tanks, which reflects its role as an integrated administrative and agricultural center in that era.

Restoration work with architectural and scientific accuracy
Current field work is focused on cleaning the site of dust and weeds that affect the integrity of the stones, and strengthening the walls and arches, in addition to ongoing scientific documentation. The archaeological researcher at the Benghazi Antiquities Monitor, Jalal Al-Obaidi, explained the nature of the challenges facing the work, saying: “The team is currently working on restoring and rehabilitating the (collapsed arch) on the second floor, a part that has been collapsing since the 1970s or 1980s. Restoring this edifice has been a dream that the team has had for decades, despite the limited capabilities and the absence of any financial or logistical support. A precise proposal was prepared based on scientific foundations that carefully deals with huge stones and interlocking arches.”

Investment and tourism dimensions that protect national memory
These efforts constitute an essential foundation for re-stimulating antiquities and heritage tourism in Libya, as the project aims to preserve the palaces and rehabilitate them to be a destination for tourists in the region and visitors to the city of Benghazi. This initiative opens promising horizons for investors in the tourism services and light hospitality sectors surrounding historical trails, thus contributing to reviving the cultural memory of eastern Libya and transforming archaeological sites into sustainable economic and tourism tributaries.