Acropolis of Athens gets makeover, stirs row
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, June 11, 2021
The Acropolis of Athens has got a makeover during the COVID-19 pandemic and more work on it will follow, according to Greek officials and experts.
As archaeological sites all over Greece remained closed to the public for months during the COVID-19 lockdowns, architects and restoration experts changed the lighting system that illuminates the iconic 2,500-year-old monuments, installed a new elevator and created specially designed pathways to make the Acropolis more accessible to people with disabilities and the elderly.
"The image of the Acropolis is the image of the country," Greek Culture and Sports Minister Lina Mendoni said. "A monument, which is a symbol of the western civilization, becomes accessible to all. I have seen people in wheelchairs during their visit for the first time and they were so happy."
Two golf carts are now also available to facilitate access to people with reduced mobility. Next, new Braille signs in Greek and English, scale models of the monuments and new handrails will be installed, she said on Tuesday.
The use of cement in the new walkways among the temples has sparked a discussion about the aesthetic merits of the project. Some critics suggested other materials, like wood, glass or stone.
"Aesthetically, any intervention on a monument causes problems. What is important is that one weighs the benefits and the losses. The visitor for the first time perceives the ancient form," said Manolis Korres, a renowned restoration architect who has been involved with restoration projects on the hill for almost five decades.
The new pathway follows on the footsteps of ancient architects, who had created a similar route carved into the rock, he explained.
"We restored it as it was in ancient times," he stressed.
The slippery ancient rock had been covered with cement during the 20th century, he noted. A makeover was necessary to repair the severe damages that had caused numerous accidents.
The use of other materials would be far more costly and lengthy, and the site would have to be closed to visitors for up to five years, Korres explained, adding that the concrete has been layered over a membrane that protects the ancient rock and it can be removed overnight with no damages.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)