The Acropolis was closed to the public this Wednesday from noon to afternoon local time (in Spain it would be equivalent to between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.) due to the high temperatures. According to the weather forecast, 43C will be reached on Wednesday and also on Thursday, with the possibility of extending throughout the week.
The location of this world heritage monument means that it is very exposed to the sun
This monument, considered a world heritage site by UNESCO since 1980, is located on a steep hill and rocky, especially exposed to the sun and heat, so tourists waiting outside to enter the Acropolis cannot protect themselves from the sun, hence the decision to close it.
This is the first heat wave of the year in Greece, so there was also the school closures and health warnings due to health risk. In Greece, it has been considered a heat wave when temperatures exceed 38C for three days. State television meteorologist Panos Ginnopoulos says such an intense heat wave had never been recorded before mid-June.
A fact that repeats itself annually
However, this closure It is not an isolated incident. As in many European countries, the existence of high temperatures each year causes very hot summers. That is why in July of last year It was also closed for this same reason and during the same central hours of the day. At that time, climate shelters were set up and emergency services were notified to help tourists in difficulty.
Other consequences of these high temperatures
These high temperatures also represent a very high risk of fires in this region. In this way, the Greek government has decreed the closure of schools in several regions and the Ministry of Labor ordered a pause in any outdoor work activity during the hours with the most intense heat.
As a measure to combat this climatic situation, at the metro de Syntagma, In the center of Athens, a room was opened with air-conditioning to shelter people from the heat. Some testimonies from students and teachers affirm that the annual exams were already taking place in very difficult conditions.
A record number of nearly 4 million visitors flocked to the site last year, and its popularity increased in part due to tourists arriving on cruise ships calling at the nearby port of Piraeus, a city in southwestern Greece. Due to the large influx of people, since last year a limit of 20,000 daily visitorsin order to avoid crowds and damage to the archaeological complex.
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