CNN
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One of Greece’s most famous landmarks has begun trialling a daily visitor limit from today.
Athens’ Acropolis ruins attract visitors from all over the world who want to marvel at ancient cultural sites. From now on, the number of visitors will be limited to 20,000 people per day. Reservation website Track footfall and implement an hourly slot system.
In an interview with Greek radio station Real FM in August, Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni said that the Acropolis currently receives up to 23,000 visitors per day, calling this a “huge number of visitors.” ”.
This site’s business hours are until 8:00 p.m. Mr Mendoni said: The majority of visitors were choosing to visit in the morning, creating a bottleneck and creating “uncomfortable conditions for the site, visitors and staff trying to accommodate this large number of people”.
The goal is that the new system, currently in the trial phase and likely to be formally implemented from April 2024, will address overcrowding and ensure the safety and longevity of the monument.
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Built on a rocky hill in the 5th century BC, the ancient Acropolis is home to a collection of historic ruins, buildings and artifacts, the most famous of which is the Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena.
It states that the site and its monuments “form the largest architectural and artistic complex left in the world by ancient Greece.” UNESCO.
Earlier this summer, the Acropolis was closed due to rising temperatures during Europe’s record heatwave. Photos of the site taken in late August show it covered in smoke from recent wildfires in Greece.
From April, the new reservation system will also apply to other Greek monuments that operate on electronic tickets, which account for 90-95% of visitors to Greek monuments.