It’s often heartbreaking, infuriating and disappointing to witness instances of irresponsible tourism. Yet we have another case. A Romanian man was recently caught trying to steal marble chunks from the ancient Acropolis of Athens in Greece. The Greek Police immediately arrested him. Here’s what happened.
Romanian Tourist Caught Trying To Steal Marble Chunks From Acropolis
According to a report by the New York Post, a 36-year-old Romanian man was spotted by tourists touching the section of the Propylaea. This is the ancient ruins of the gateway that leads one into the Acropolis of Athens. He placed his hands on the ancient gate in a suspicious way. According to Proto Thema, a Greek news agency, many tourists spotted him behaving suspiciously.
The Greek Police arrived and questioned him about his doings. The tourist stated he didn’t know that stealing marble chunks from the ancient structure was illegal. By then, the alleged thief had already broken off a piece of the structure. The Romanian man was then charged with theft. The Greek Police prosecuted him under Greece’s antiquities law. This law states that all ancient cultural objects and properties belong to Greece.
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The Ancient Monument Faced Issues Of Heatwaves
Acropolis in Greece has been victim to overtourism, especially post the COVID-19 pandemic. The tourist site witnesses over 23,000 visitors every day. In fact, Greek officials have started putting a cap on the number of tourists allowed per day. From September, the tourist site admits visitors in hourly time slots between 8 am to 8 pm. But this isn’t the first time a tourist was caught trying to take back marble chunks from the ancient monument.
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Apart from tourist woes, the monument even faced issues of tourists falling ill due to heat waves. In July, Greek authorities shut down Acropolis temporarily as the temperature rose up to 40 degrees Celsius. Many tourists from across the world faced heating spells. Healthcare workers and doctors offered water and first aid to the sick tourists.
Now that the Acropolis is open for tourism, we hope this iconic Greek monument won’t face issues of irresponsible tourism anymore.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva