Santiago, the capital of Chile, in South America, has a metro station named ‘Grecia’ which is entirely dedicated to Greek history and culture.
Greek statues and sculptures are showcased throughout the underground station allowing commuters to focus on Ancient Greek beauty.
The exhibition has been operating since 2014, with copies of ancient Greek art, which was an initiative between the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Chilean government.
Scattered throughout the city’s underground train network are 30 paintings and sculptures, paying homage to ancient Greek civilization.
The Réplicas del Friso del Partenón Griego (Replicas of the Frieze at the Greek Parthenon) is a series of 16 carvings which are made of white cement.
The ancient images are based on those originally found on the west side of Athens’ Parthenon but have been housed in the British Museum since the 19th century.
The replicas were in fact created by the new Acropolis Museum in Athens and donated to the Santiago Metro.
The exhibition depicts the historical Greek culture and focuses on issues such as democracy, justice, and the arts.
Exhibits feature Homer, portraits of athletes and theatrical masks.
The donation of the Greek Ministry of Culture was an initiative of the Embassy of Chile in Greece and the Greek Embassy in Chile, and with the support of the Division of Cultural Relations of the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foundation Gabriel and Maria Moustakis.
“The exhibition allows the passengers to come a little closer to the rich Greek culture, which was the cradle of great values which we respect until today, such as democracy and justice,” said Javier Pinto, executive director of the Cultural Society MetroArte said at the launch.
