Only early risers will see the Acropolis as workers strike over heat

Security officers and others say extreme temperatures in Athens and other historic sites are dangerous for them and tourists. Employees stop work at noon at least for now.

Stifling heat in Athens has forced its main attraction, the Acropolis, to close to tourists in the afternoon for the second time this month, with plans to open in the cooler evening hours. But a strike by workers at this site and others over unsafe working conditions will likely keep it closed into the afternoon as extreme temperatures persist.

Greece is experiencing its second heat wave in as many weeks, and temperatures are expected to reach 111 degrees Fahrenheit, or 44 degrees Celsius, in Athens on Sunday. Workers say the heat poses a potential risk to them and visitors, and they stopped working at noon Thursday and Friday and plan to continue doing so until at least Sunday. Their union says they will reassess the situation on Monday.

Speaking to Greek radio on Friday morning, union leader Ioannis Mavrikopoulos said the temperature at the Acropolis site, home to the gleaming white marble monument of the Parthenon and some shade trees, had reached some 118 degrees Fahrenheit, or 48 degrees Celsius . The Acropolis is perched on a rocky outcrop above Athens.

Mr. Mavrikopoulos claimed that between 20 and 25 visitors pass out at the site daily, adding that similar problems have been reported at two other popular sites: the ancient palace of Knossos in Crete and ancient Olympia in southwestern Greece. liamaki/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The walkout means the Acropolis will only be accessible to tourists for four hours a day, from when it opens at 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. The site saw around 21,000 visitors a day this summer, up more than a third from last year.

Despite the sweltering temperatures, tourists continued to try to visit the Acropolis, Greece's ancient citadel, and its magnificent Parthenon monument, known as a model of classical architecture but also for the sculptures that have been pirated on the Par thenon in the early 19th century and have since sat in the British Museum.

The site attracts millions of people every year, and this summer they waited under canopies set up on the paths leading to the Acropolis while Red Cross volunteers handed out bottles of water to keep them hydrated. Turnout appears to have dropped slightly from early last week, when TV footage showed huge crowds moving through the site.

Visitors who booked in advance but were unable to access the Acropolis will be able to use their tickets anytime over the next year, a Culture Ministry official said.

Predictions suggest that Greece will experience a slight drop in temperatures on Monday, but this is expected to be followed by a third heat wave two days later. With sweltering temperatures persisting well after sunset, archaeological sites across the country are likely to continue to restrict afternoon visits.