AFP

Heatwave in Greece: Athens’ Acropolis closed during hottest hours

Athens’ Acropolis remained closed during the hottest hours of the day on Friday and will remain closed between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday as well in Europe, the Greek culture minister announced. “For the safety of workers and (…) visitors, suspension of the archaeological site, at least from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm during the hours of +extreme +temperature”, Lina on the public television channel ERT Mendoni indicated. In a press release, they again stated that “the site will be closed from 11.30 am to 5.30 pm” on Saturday as well. The minister pointed out that if temperatures of 40 °C to 41 °C are expected at the top of the Acropolis in Athens on Friday and Saturday, “the actual temperature felt by the body (…) is much higher.” Earlier, The Archaeological Foria of the city of Athens announced in a press release the closure of the ancient site, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited in Greece, during the hottest hours on Friday. Nearby, the Agora Cemetery, or Ancient Ceramic Cemetery, will remain open. In the middle of the day, in front of closed ticket offices, some tourists, hats and caps bowing their heads, showed themselves annoyed at the lack of information available on the Acropolis website.” I’m not really happy but what can we do? Serbian tourist Sonya Ivkovic, director of human resources, told AFP: “The idea is to go somewhere else and come back at 5pm (2:00am GMT), when the doors will open again. It would be a shame not to see it.” ” !” “We didn’t expect this, we came and thought it would be open. We just brought water and we were ready”, said Emily Dane, an Australian doctor. “But it’s understandable, it’s really hot today”. has increased, usually open from 08:00 local time (05:00 GMT) to 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT). – 30,000 bottles of water – Greece, like other countries around the Mediterranean It has been in its grip since Wednesday. The first heat wave of the summer. According to the weather forecast, the temperature should exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the north and west of the country. The country’s authorities have taken several measures in recent days to deal with these phenomena . It’s a heat wave. The Red Cross deployed at the foot of the Acropolis on Thursday to distribute water bottles and assist tourists who may suffer sunstroke or fainting. “We deliver at least 30,000 50 cl daily Going to distribute water bottles. ,” Antonios Avgerinos, president of the Greek Red Cross, told AFP. Entrance counters to guard the thousands of visitors who come to admire the Parthenon at the top of the Acropolis, a masterpiece of the “classical” period of antiquity (5th century BC). According to the thermometer national meteorological service EMY, the temperature in Athens is 39 °C, 40 °C to 42 °C in the north and west of the country and 43 °C in Thessaly (centre), which can reach 44 °C. Same temperature on Saturday as well. Faced with this heat wave, Greek authorities have warned of a high risk of fires, especially in areas where strong winds are expected. Greece was faced with violent wildfires during the summer of 2021 due to an extraordinary heat wave. The Acropolis, where more than three million people visited last year, was closed even during the hottest hours of the day. yap-wv/mr/ybl