Ancient tomb possibly tied to Alexander the Great unveiled in Greece


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Greek officials have unveiled the interior of a massive ancient tomb possibly linked to Alexander the Great as archaeologists continue excavation and restoration work.

Greece’s Ministry of Culture announced the news in a statement on May 11.

The excavation centers around the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, the ruins of an ancient Macedonian city in northern Greece, about 60 miles northeast of Thessaloniki.

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Greek officials said restoration work at the Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis has uncovered the site’s full enclosure for the first time, revealing the massive scale of the ancient Macedonian monument.

The enclosure, built in the fourth century B.C., measures roughly 1,630 feet in circumference. It surrounds a burial mound spanning more than 20 acres, as Cover Media reported.

Split image of Alexander the Great mosaic, giant mound

Greek officials unveiled new restoration progress inside the ancient Kasta Tomb in Amphipolis, a site linked to Alexander the Great’s era. (iStock; Greek Ministry of Culture/Cover Images)

Pictures released by the ministry show marble-lined passageways, elaborate architecture and fine sculptural details that suggest the structure was built for a member of the Macedonian elite.

Officials removed older metal supports to make the monument’s interior fully visible, and future plans include installing the tomb’s monumental double-leaf Macedonian marble door and restoring parts of the sphinx sculptures that once guarded the entrance.

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“The Kasta Tomb is a unique and magnificent Macedonian monument, which, through the completion of the work of restoring its geometry, but also revealing the entire enclosure, now clearly highlights its historical importance and its value,” Lina Mendoni, Greek minister of culture, said in a translated statement.

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Amphipolis is “associated with major figures of the Kingdom of Macedon, such as the three generals of Alexander the Great, Nearchus, Hephaestion and Laomedon, who resided in the city,” according to the Ministry of Culture’s website.

View of officials standing outside burial next to interior shot of marble hallway

Restoration crews removed older support structures to fully expose the interior of the ancient Macedonian monument in Amphipolis. (Greek Ministry of Culture/Cover Images)

“After Alexander’s death, the city’s garrison remained loyal to his mother Olympias and only agreed to surrender the city to Cassander, one of Alexander’s successors, on her orders,” the website notes.

“Cassander imprisoned Alexander’s wife Roxana and his son Alexander IV in Amphipolis and ordered their murder.”

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Alexander the Great, who lived from 356 B.C. to 323 B.C., is known for establishing the vast Macedonian Empire across parts of Europe, Asia and Africa as a young man.

Split image of Alexander the Great painting, view of inside of monument

The ancient burial complex in Amphipolis is believed to have been built for someone closely connected to Alexander the Great. (Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images; Greek Ministry of Culture/Cover Images)

He defeated the Persian Empire — then the dominant superpower of the ancient world — before dying at age 32 under mysterious circumstances, despite never losing a battle.

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Researchers believed Kasta Tomb was “built for someone very close to Alexander the Great,” such as his mother, one of his wives or one of his friends, National Geographic reported in 2014.

Destroyed carving of lions at site

Greek authorities plan to restore portions of the sphinx sculptures that once guarded the entrance to the monumental tomb. (Greek Ministry of Culture/Cover Images)

The latest excavation isn’t the only recent archaeological project tied to the legendary Macedonian ruler.

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Earlier in 2026, Fox News Digital spoke with an archaeologist who helped locate a long-lost city founded by Alexander the Great after centuries of obscurity.

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The city, called Alexandria on the Tigris, is located near the Persian Gulf in southern Iraq. It was founded in the fourth century B.C.



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