"The light of the 21st century embraces the Acropolis. It is a celebration beyond borders and languages. The values that were born in this place are a universal property," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said during a ceremony unveiling the new lighting system of the Acropolis.
The new lighting "was a conscious political choice. To reintegrate the symbol of classical Greece into everyday life. The practical goal was twofold. On the one hand, to highlight the space with its volume and geometry. On the other hand, the facilities should be modernised, gaining more durability and a smaller energy footprint," he added.
The new lighting of the Acropolis took place in the presence of President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister of Culture and Sport Linas Mendoni, and President of the Onassis Foundation, Anthony S. Papadimitriou.
For the first time, the lighting distinguishes the different monuments at the Acropolis. Specifically, nine points are illuminated again: the Rock, the Walls, the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Theater of Dionysus, the Stoa of Eumenes and the Dionysian Sanctuary.
The lighting includes five more monuments, which are illuminated for the first time: The monument of Thrasyllos, the Sponsors’ Columns, the Asclepieion and the caves of Apollo and Aglavros, as well as the Sanctuary of Aphrodite.
As noted by the Ministry of Culture, the lighting of the Acropolis was not limited to the aesthetic part, but includes the significant upgrade of the existing infrastructure with the modernization of the electrical installation and the automation and control system of the luminaires which highlights the whole of the Sacred Rock, the Walls, the volume and the geometry of each monument, from every possible point of view.
The marbles, whiter than ever, reflect every aspect, every geometric shape, every natural material, emphasizing the relief of the decoration of each monument.