Local authorities rushed to close the Acropolis and all other ancient sites starting midday on Tuesday as a heatwave scorching the eastern Mediterranean worsened.
Temperatures reached 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 Fahrenheit) in parts of the Greek capital, as the extreme weather fueled destructive wildfires in Turkey and blazes in Greece, Italy and across the region. Greek officials have described the heatwave as the most severe in more than 30 years.
The Acropolis, which is normally open for visitors in the summer months from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The sites will have reduced times through to Friday, closing from midday to 5 p.m. during the peak temperature.
The Greek Fire Service is on a high fire alert for the whole country on Tuesday and for the rest of the week.
