Extreme heat drives Greek authorities to close the famous Acropolis Site
The Greek Ministry of Culture has ordered the closure of the famous Acropolis tourist site for several hours in the middle of the day, as authorities warn of an exceptional heat wave hitting the country and southern Europe in general, with temperatures rising significantly.
Meteorologists say the hot weather coming from Africa will continue to affect weather conditions in Greece for several days, at least until next Sunday. The coming days are expected to see maximum temperatures around 43 degrees.
The Acropolis site in the capital Athens closed its doors from noon to five in the afternoon, while local authorities opened air-conditioned places to the public.
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Tourists wishing to visit the Parthenon temple overlooking the Acropolis lined up from the early hours of the morning to avoid the extreme heat, while Red Cross members distributed bottles of cold water and leaflets to those in the queues.
A British tourist who arrived at the Acropolis before it closed said he had only queued for 10 minutes, but it was enough to feel the heat.
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In addition to the high temperatures, the dry weather has contributed to the outbreak of wildfires, with civil protection teams fighting several fires that broke out in various parts of Greece, including a pine forest in the Corinth region in the south of the country.
