Due to the suffocating heat in Athens, the Acropolis, its top attraction, has been closed to tourists in the afternoons for the second time this month. The plan is to open it up in the cooler hours of the evening. However, a strike by workers at the site and others, protesting dangerous working conditions, will likely keep it closed in the afternoons as long as the extreme temperatures persist.
Greece is currently experiencing its second heat wave in as many weeks, with temperatures expected to reach 111 degrees Fahrenheit (44 Celsius) in Athens on Sunday. Workers argue that the heat poses a potential risk to both them and visitors. They have stopped working at noon on Thursday and Friday and plan to continue doing so until at least Sunday. The union representing the workers will reassess the situation on Monday.
Speaking on Greek radio on Friday morning, the head of the union, Ioannis Mavrikopoulos, stated that the temperature at the Acropolis site, which is home to the Parthenon monument and has few shade trees, had reached around 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 Celsius). The Acropolis is situated on a rocky outcrop high above Athens.
Mr. Mavrikopoulos claimed that between 20 and 25 visitors faint at the site daily. Similar problems have also been reported at two other popular sites: the ancient palace of Knossos on Crete and Ancient Olympia in southwestern Greece.
As a result of the strike, the Acropolis will only be accessible to tourists for four hours a day, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. This summer, the site has been receiving approximately 21,000 visitors per day, an increase of over a third compared to last year.
Despite the sweltering temperatures, tourists have continued to attempt to visit the Acropolis and its magnificent Parthenon monument, known for its classical architecture and the sculptures that were removed from the Parthenon in the early 19th century and are now housed in the British Museum.
The site attracts millions of visitors each year, and this summer, they have been waiting under canopies set up on the paths leading to the Acropolis, while Red Cross volunteers distribute bottles of water to keep them hydrated. The number of visitors seems to have slightly decreased compared to early last week when there were large crowds moving through the site.
Visitors who had pre-booked but were unable to access the Acropolis will be able to use their tickets at any time over the next year, according to a Culture Ministry official.
Forecasts indicate that Greece will experience a slight drop in temperatures on Monday, but another heat wave is expected two days later. With the sweltering temperatures persisting well into the evening, it is likely that the country’s archaeological sites will continue to limit afternoon visits.
2023-07-22 13:36:03
Article from www.nytimes.com
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