Greece has begun the relocation of sculptures from the Acropolis to the new museum

Athens - Today in the Greek Acropolis, an unprecedented relocation of sculptures to a new museum built nearby has started. The sculptures, which belong to the most significant works in human history, are moving for the first time in the last 2400 years, recalls the AP agency. This also represents the largest transfer of ancient artifacts in the history of modern Greece.
    Despite the strong winds, three cranes lowered a 2.3-ton block that is part of the Parthenon from the old museum on the rocky summit of the hill and safely transferred it to the new Acropolis Museum built of concrete and glass, located 400 meters away. The move took about 90 minutes.
    “The conditions are very good, the wind is not a problem,” said archaeologist Alexandros Mantis, who is responsible for the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to journalists during the relocation.
    According to the chief supervisor of the operation, Kostas Zambas, the move was actually quicker than expected. “It was all like a dream, completely safe,” praised Zambas. However, he noted that if the wind speed had exceeded 39 kilometers per hour, the transfer would reportedly not have taken place.
    Dozens of people watched the event, with some even getting emotional. “I am shaking all over; it touches me. This is an ancient civilization, the foundation of our world,” said one elderly woman to Reuters.
    Greek Minister of Culture Michalis Liapis described the carefully coordinated operation as a “historic event of global significance.”
    The antiquities, most of which are marble sculptures from the sixth and fifth centuries BC, were insured for 400 million euros. A test transfer took place on Thursday, during which a three-ton piece of unworked marble was lowered from the Acropolis's summit.
    An additional 4500 artifacts are set to be moved to the new museum gradually, and the entire operation is expected to last at least six weeks, with completion anticipated by early January. Furthermore, officials in Athens hope that the new museum, covering an area of 20,000 square meters, will support Greece's long-term effort to reclaim the collection of sculptures from the Parthenon from the British Museum.
    However, not everyone is pleased with the new museum at the foot of the Acropolis. Protests against its location here were raised not only by locals but also by some architects who criticized its modern style. Protests continued today as dozens of people gathered at the Acropolis. They demonstrated against the planned demolition of two historical buildings in front of the museum that obstruct the view of the famous hill.