Acropolis of Athens to become fully accessible with new infrastructure

The Acropolis of Athens will become "fully accessible" following a unanimous decision by Greece's Central Archaeological Council. The project, funded by the Onassis Foundation, includes a panoramic elevator made in Italy, tactile paving, Braille signage in Greek and English, 3D models of monuments, handrails, slope warning signs, and a smartphone app with written and audio information. The move follows months of controversy over a concrete walkway installed last year as part of ongoing restoration. Critics include retired restoration team member Tassos Tanoulas, who called the walkway "alien" and "suffocating," and opposition leader Alexis Tsipras, who described the redesign as an "abuse" of Greece's cultural heritage. However, architect Yannis Aesopos, president of the Architecture Department at the University of Patras, told Kathimerini that the general impression is positive, noting the new plan creates a path for visitors to observe the monuments, though he emphasized it remains a technical work without artistic or architectural value. The main Greek disability association welcomed the changes but requested further guarantees.