Architecture

The ancient temples of the Acropolis in Athens were illuminated on Wednesday evening by a new lower-energy lighting system. The LED lighting fixtures are intended to reduce light pollution and make higher-quality lighting to showcase Greece's sacred hill and the Parthenon. Internationally renowned lighting designer Eleftheria Deko was asked by the Onassis Foundation to design the new lighting system for the monument. Deko, who was awarded an Emmy for the lighting of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympic Games, created a system that uses a variety of colours and intensities to highlight the three-dimensional nature of the monuments. As Deko has said in a past interview, “just as in music, pauses play an essential role, so too in lighting, shade and darkness are very important. The balance between the variations is a basic component of good lighting, in theater as well as in architecture.” Athens resident, Anthony Grant watched the lighting take place from the foot of the Acropolis. He told Euronews, "It was a very clear night under a harvest moon and you could literally see how the new lights distinguish the Parthenon from the walls just below and it was actually pretty dramatic." This is the first of a series of projects to upgrade the Acropolis' infrastructure that are both funded and implemented by the Onassis Foundation . "The image of the Acropolis, our foremost monument, reflects and transmits the image of the country. The Onassis Foundation has kindly offered to undertake the significant sponsorship of a series of projects, " said Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni. The new lighting of the Acropolis was live-streamed on the greek culture ministry website and the YouTube channel of the Onassis Foundation. Greek President Katerina Sakellariou and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis presided over the ceremony that was also be attended by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Danish Premier Mette Frederiksen.