Hot Weather in Greek Capital Shuts Down Acropolis

A tourist drinks water while walking with others at Filopappos hill as at the background is seen the ancient Acropolis hill during a hot day in Athens, on Thursday, July 4, 2019. Greece's most famous archaeological site, the Acropolis in Athens, has shut down to visitors for four hours because of hot weather in the capital. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s most famous archaeological site, the Acropolis in Athens, has shut down to visitors for four hours because of hot weather in the capital.

The antiquities authority said the Acropolis would remain closed to visitors from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. on Thursday if temperatures in Athens rose above 96.8 F, with a real feel of about 104 F. Hot weather was also forecast for Friday, and authorities said the Acropolis would also shut for four hours that day if those temperatures were reached.

The hilltop UNESCO World Heritage site, which includes the 2,500-year-old Parthenon, is Greece’s most popular tourist attraction, with 3.15 million visitors last year.

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