"
It's a majestic moment
": A crowd of enthusiasts were dazzled on Sunday evening, admiring the full moon lighting up the elegant Acropolis at night in Athens.
Crowded, the chic terrace of the museum, exceptionally open until midnight, offers an exceptional view of the famous Parthenon which sits on the sacred rock.
Read alsoWithout a full moon, no reproduction of corals
At around 9 p.m. local time, the large yellow sphere rose between the hills surrounding Athens, and the spectacle of this full moon fully began.
“
It's a majestic moment to be here,
” enthuses Yonissis, a Greek living in Switzerland.
Eyeing the iconic illuminated Parthenon, Spiros, a 22-year-old Greek, regrets that there are "a
lot of people."
But what pride for our country, that so many people come to discover our ancient history
”.
To enter the museum, a long line always stretched after 9 p.m. local time on the museum forecourt to the footpath that circles the Acropolis.
Visitors absolutely wanted to take advantage of the free admission and extended hours.
To enter the museum, a long line always stretched after 9 p.m. local time on the museum forecourt to the footpath that circles the Acropolis.
ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / AFP
"
The whole of Athens
" is here
“
It's a bit like fashion week, the whole of Athens is present,
” rejoices Sophie, a French traveler.
“
There is always a special atmosphere in museums at night
”.
Rena, an Athenian in her forties, queues up to follow the visit by an archaeologist.
"
I chose this full moon event to come and visit the museum for the first time,
" she told AFP.
All over Greece, concerts, theatrical performances, poetry, dance, exhibitions and star gazing enlivened this evening of the full moon, from Crete or the paradisiacal islands, in the Cyclades archipelago, in the Ionian Sea or in the Aegean Sea.
Regardless of where they were, Greeks and tourists alike had free access to almost all of Greece's historical and cultural wealth by moonlight, according to a ministry statement.
Crowd at the Acropolis Museum in Athens as museums and archaeological sites are open at night for two days, August 22, 2021. ANGELOS TZORTZINIS / AFP
From Kassope in Epirus (north-west) to the Palace of the Grand Masters on the island of Rhodes (south-east), passing through the archaeological sites of Olympia, Mystras, Corinth or Nemea, on the Peloponnese peninsula ( southwest), or those of Delphi and Thebes (center) to the fortress of Corfu (west).
For this unprecedented operation, the Greek Ministry of Culture "
hoped that the light of the moon would prevail over the shadow of the pandemic
" of Covid-19.
Each museum, site or locality was "in
charge of the health protocol in this pandemic context
", told AFP Alexandra Aspioti of the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage of Greece, a public service under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture .
"
Certain places and activities were subject to a reduced staff or to a prior reservation
", she underlined.
After a 2020 season thwarted by the coronavirus pandemic, Greece is pleased to have recovered at this stage of the season 70% of 2019 tourist attendance, according to Christos Staikouras, the Greek Minister of Finance.
Representing more than 20% of the gross domestic product (GDP), tourism is a crucial sector for the Greek economy.
