Sweltering heat in Athens has forced its main attraction, the Acropolis, to close to tourists in the afternoon for the second time this month, with plans to open in the cooler hours of the evening. But a strike by workers at the site and others over dangerous working conditions forced the closure in the afternoon while enduring extreme temperatures.
Greece is suffering its second heat wave in as many weeks and temperatures in Athens are expected to reach 111 degrees Fahrenheit or 44 Celsius on Sunday. Workers say the heat poses a potential danger to them and visitors, and they stopped working Thursday and Friday afternoon and plan to continue doing so at least through Sunday. His union says it will review the situation on Monday.
Speaking to Greek radio on Friday morning, the head of the coalition, Ioannis Mavrikopoulos, said temperatures at the site of the Acropolis, home to the gleaming white marble Parthenon monument and some shade trees, reached about 118 degrees Fahrenheit, or 48 Celsius. The Acropolis sits on a rocky outcrop overlooking Athens.
Mr. Mavrikopoulos claims that 20 to 25 visitors faint every day at the site, adding that similar problems have been reported at two other popular sites: the ancient palace of Knossos in Crete and ancient Olympia in southwestern Greece.
The walkout means the Acropolis is only accessible to tourists for four hours a day, from when it opens at 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Despite the scorching temperatures, tourists continued to try to visit Greece’s ancient citadel, the Acropolis, and its magnificent Parthenon monument, known as a model of classical architecture but for sculptures hacked from the Parthenon in the early 19th century and sitting in the British Museum.
The site draws millions of people each year, and this summer they wait under canopies set up along the Acropolis’ path as Red Cross volunteers hand out bottles of water. The turnout appeared to have eased somewhat earlier last week when television footage showed massive crowds through the site.
Visitors who booked in advance but could not gain entry to the Acropolis will be able to use their tickets anytime in the next year, a culture ministry official said.
Forecasts suggest Greece will see a small drop in temperatures on Monday but a third heat wave is expected to follow two days later. As scorching temperatures persist well after sunset, the country’s archaeological sites are likely to continue restricting afternoon visits.
