Acropolis' Nike temple rises again
After a decade–long facelift, the ancient Greek temple of Athena Nike is back up, patched up and unfettered on the Acropolis.
The slender marble building first erected in the 5th century B.C. was unburdened of its scaffolding in recent days — 10 years after being completely dismantled for repairs.
Unlike other ancient monuments battered by war or natural disaster, the four–columned temple near the entrance of the world–renowned Athens citadel fell prey to the best of intentions: Previous restorations simply hadn't stood the tests of time.
Athena Nike had two dates with restoration crews over the last two centuries — one in 1935, another in the 1830s — and the latest top–to–bottom refurbishment was aimed to fix mistakes from previous restoration efforts for good.
"We have used the latest technology, following successful experimentation with stress and aging," project head Dionysia Mihalopoulou told The Associated Press (News - Alert) on the Acropolis on Tuesday. "The choice and use of materials was the best possible, they will not corrode."
The 1935 restoration involved extensive use of concrete and iron joints to hold the marble blocks together. When the iron rusted, the marble cracked, threatening the temple's long–term survival. This time, the iron was switched for titanium — a metal as strong as steel, but much more resistant to corrosion....
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The slender marble building first erected in the 5th century B.C. was unburdened of its scaffolding in recent days — 10 years after being completely dismantled for repairs.
Unlike other ancient monuments battered by war or natural disaster, the four–columned temple near the entrance of the world–renowned Athens citadel fell prey to the best of intentions: Previous restorations simply hadn't stood the tests of time.
Athena Nike had two dates with restoration crews over the last two centuries — one in 1935, another in the 1830s — and the latest top–to–bottom refurbishment was aimed to fix mistakes from previous restoration efforts for good.
"We have used the latest technology, following successful experimentation with stress and aging," project head Dionysia Mihalopoulou told The Associated Press (News - Alert) on the Acropolis on Tuesday. "The choice and use of materials was the best possible, they will not corrode."
The 1935 restoration involved extensive use of concrete and iron joints to hold the marble blocks together. When the iron rusted, the marble cracked, threatening the temple's long–term survival. This time, the iron was switched for titanium — a metal as strong as steel, but much more resistant to corrosion....