Spectators watch a performance of ‘Madame Butterfly’ at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, as on the background is seen the ancient temples of goddess Nike, left, and the Parthenon on June 1, 2023. [Petros Giannakouris/AP]
The nearly 1,900-year-old Odeon of Herodes Atticus under the Acropolis, which is used for an annual summer music festival, will close for at least three years for an extensive facelift that will include conservation and restoration, authorities said Monday.
The Culture Ministry said in a statement that the project that will start this summer would include overhauling facilities for the public and artists taking part in the highly popular shows held in the remains of the Roman building. A new, less intrusive lighting system will also be installed.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the odeon “currently faces structural and static problems that have to be addressed.” She said these include damage to the upper arches of the facade, cracks in the stones, loss of material, erosion from plants and rainwater as well as adverse effects from past restoration efforts that misfired. Some further restoration will also be carried out with the use of new material to fill in blanks or replace worn ancient masonry.
“It is our intention that once the work is completed the monument should be fully protected against damage from natural or human causes,” she said.
The ministry said that the project will also lead to the exposure of ancient mosaic floors that had been covered up for years under the stage area.
The odeon was originally a concert hall covered with a cedar-wood roof, built around 160 AD by the philanthropist Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Regilla.
