The Acropolis is now a world heritage site accessible to all people with mobility issues, thanks to a new vertical lift that was inaugurated on December 3, designated globally as International Day of Disabled Persons.
The lift, heralded by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as part of Greece’s commitment to supporting people with disabilities, was funded by the Onassis Foundation.
A new elevator will transport people using wheelchairs, as well as elderly that have a hard time scaling the marble steps. The lift is located on the north face of the hill.
Additionally, existing concrete walkways were replaced with smooth artificial stone pathways through the archaeological site and up to the main temple of the Parthenon, which is visited by millions of tourists annually.
Mitsotakis said the project will “make the Acropolis accessible to everyone… without the difficulties associated with the classic route up to the Hill of Acropolis.”
The Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports said that the lift and walkways will “improve the visiting conditions of the monuments at the Acropolis.”
Other nations have viewed access to historic and public sites for the disabled as a civil right for decades, as evidenced by the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 in the United States of America or EU accessibility standards implemented throughout Europe.
for the first time in history the ancient site will be “completely accessible not only to the disabled, but also to citizens with mobility or other health problems.”
Video: Kyriakos Mitsotakis Inaugurates Lift at Acropolis
