It’s hot.
Tourists hoping to visit one of Greece’s top tourism sites were disappointed Tuesday when the Greek government temporarily shuttered the ancient ruins of the Acropolis because of high temperatures. Greece’s Culture Ministry, which oversees the site, closed the site from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., citing high temperatures that would endanger the safety of workers and visitors.
Temperatures in Athens on Tuesday reached 107 degrees Fahrenheit in the second major heat wave that affected much of the European continent. The Acropolis is situated on a hill without any shade, and is known for its punishing heat in the midday sun.
Visitors planning to visit the ancient hilltop citadel in the coming days should have access. The heat wave that boiled European cities at the beginning of the week has largely subsided. High temperatures in Athens for the next several days are expected to reach the high 80s before returning to the 90s next week, still several degrees cooler than Tuesday’s high.
Scientists estimate that an earlier heat wave, which affected much of Europe between June 23 and July 2, resulted in 2,300 deaths, with several hundred reported in Milan, Paris, Barcelona, and London. In Athens, 175 deaths were attributed to that heat wave. Scientists attributed the heat wave to climate change, noting that record-high sea-surface temperatures in the Mediterranean contributed to the hot weather plaguing the region.
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This is not the first time the Acropolis has been closed during a heatwave. Similar heatwaves closed the ancient site in June and July, 2024. Greek labor regulators also prohibited employers from allowing employees to perform certain work outdoors during the hottest hours of the day. Builders, food delivery riders, couriers, and shipyard workers were among the job categories regulators required to pause work for safety reasons.
The Greek Ministry of Culture has not published guidelines for what temperature will require the closure of the site in the future. Visitors in Athens wanting to check the opening status of the Acropolis can check the website prior to heading out on their visit. The most recent closure was effective only during the afternoon hours—on future hot weather days, the site may remain open in the early morning and evening hours before the hottest periods of the day.
The Acropolis—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is one of Greece’s top tourism draws, drawing up to 23,000 visitors per day until Greek regulators capped daily admissions at 20,000 in 2023. The site is open daily for 12 hours, and the majority of visitors spend about 45 minutes at the outdoor, hilltop site. Some of the antiquities from the site, such as the Karyatides, are actually represented on the outdoor site by replicas, with the originals now housed in the nearby air-conditioned museum.
The Museum can be a good alternative for visitors who find the exterior historical sites closed to visitors. The exhibits include descriptions of the artwork at the site, descriptions of the temple’s use at the time of construction and in subsequent centuries, and facts about the site’s construction and maintenance. The museum has a separate admission ticket from the outdoor historical sites.
The Parthenon, the imposing temple to the Greek goddess Athena that is perhaps the most recognizable feature of the Acropolis—and the city of Athens itself—was completed in 432 BCE. The building has been used as both a Christian church and a mosque, and was significantly damaged by cannon fire during an Ottoman siege of the city in 1827 during the Greek War of Independence.