ATHENS, Greece—The Athens Acropolis, Greece’s top tourist attraction, closed during the hottest hours on Friday and may well close again Saturday as the country wilts under a heatwave.
Access to the UNESCO-listed archaeological site dating to antiquity is being suspended between midday and 5:00 pm (0900 GMT and 1400 GMT) before reopening “to protect workers and visitors”, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told public broadcaster ERT.
“It’s highly likely that we will take the same measure tomorrow (Saturday),” she said.
Temperatures reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) in Athens on Friday, and parts of the country could see highs as much as 44 C on Saturday, according to the national weather service EMY.
Other popular tourist sites surrounding the Sacred Rock on which the Acropolis stands, such as the Ancient Agora, have remained open.
The Acropolis, which has seen a major rise in visitor numbers in recent months, is normally open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day.
Some tourists were left disappointed in front of the site’s closed entrance, saying the official website had not provided enough information.