The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday issued an aviation directive regarding domestic and international flights during Greece's nationwide lockdown, namely from November 9 to November 30.

From 6 am on Monday, November 9, domestic flights and commercial and general/business aviation to all airports in Greece are allowed only for necessary travel, such as medical reasons, business trips, the reunification of families, and returning to a person's permanent residence.

From Tuesday, November 10 onwards, all passengers of international flights departing from Greece must fill in a Passenger Locator Form.

From 6 am on Wednesday, November 11, travelers to Greece must manifest a negative COVID-19 test no older than 72 hours. Incoming passengers will also be required to fill in a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) at least one day before arrival, providing detailed information, such as their departure airport, the address where they will be staying, and the expected duration of their stay in Greece.

An Athens Municipality crew unearthed a Hermes head, part of a Herma column as it was carrying out roadworks on Aiolou street in downtown Athens last Friday.

 

The Culture Ministry announced that the artifact is in good condition a probably dates back to the end of the 4th or early 3rd century BC. In ancient Greece, Herma columns were placed on crossroads and used as signposts.

Athens mayor Kostas Bakoyannis wrote on social media: "It was found only one a half-meter below during roadworks in Aiolou street at Aghia Irini square. It is already at the Antiquities Ephorate. Unique Athens! Pride and admiration."

To read this article in full, please visit: amna.gr

 

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Coinciding with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, an emblematic project was inaugurated on Thursday, December 3 by the Greek Prime Minister.

A new lift that will enable wheelchair users, elderly citizens, and people with mobility problems to visit the monuments of the Acropolis has been installed at the Acropolis Hill. The lift will carry disabled visitors from the level of the ancient promenade, on the northern slope of the Acropolis, to the top of the hill.

“Today, we inaugurate the new lift and also the designed routes to make the Acropolis Hill accessible to everyone,” the Prime Minister said with regards to the much-anticipated project. The project was bankrolled by the Onassis Foundation, which has also paid for two electric cars for people with disabilities and the new illumination of Athens' most important archaeological site.


To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.com

XpatAthens works with writers, bloggers, cultural platforms, and local media houses in order to give our readers unique, useful, and up-to-date content.

We are always looking to meet and connect with new content contributors. If you believe that your content would be a positive addition to XpatAthens, click here to learn more about working with us!

Omilo Greek Language and Culture inspires people from all over the world to learn Greek, while exploring Greece. They offer 1- and 2-week courses for adults that combine beautiful course locations, experienced teachers, and a balanced combination of Greek classes with cultural activities. All these make Omilo a place where people enjoy learning modern Greek and have fun.

Besides the courses, Omilo also creates online publications to help adults expand their language skills through Language Books and eBooks for different language levels.

 

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“Light to those who truly bring light into our lives” is the motto of this year’s Athenian Christmas tree lighting ceremony which took place amidst the lockdown and without the usual crowds due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The Municipality of Athens choose a different way to share the lighting of the tree in Syntagma Square with everyone this year. A short film tells an Athenian Christmas story about the real heroes of the municipality, coming to light what most of us haven’t had the opportunity to see this year - Syntagma Square all bright and beautiful!

 

The protagonist is Dionysis Nikolaou, an electrician engineer and the oldest employee of the municipality. A born and bred Athenian, just like his grandfather was, he lives in the neighborhood of Sepolia with his wife and son. After he completed his education, he began working in the electricity department of the municipality and learned the secrets of every corner of the city. Over the years he’s learned not to throw away anything that is made; he’s worked in just about all positions - on the road for repairs, in the warehouse for recording and receiving orders, making sure that nothing is missing when needed. Today he chooses to work mainly at night, so that his younger colleagues can have the ease of working the morning shift.

 

The one thing that he hasn’t ever changed is the lighting of the city at Christmas time, which culminates with the lighting of the tree in Syntagma. This little film captures the route of bringing this light so that we can all share in the special moment of lighting up the streets of Athens!

 

The Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, emphasized this message on the occasion of the lighting of the Christmas tree by saying, "This year, the Municipality of Athens addresses the great thanks it owes to its people…The invisible heroes, who tirelessly remain on the front line, not only at Christmas but every day, in order to break the darkness of this unprecedented time for the inhabitants of this city. This year the lights are on those who really give light to our lives. Merry Christmas!”

Jupiter and Saturn, the 2 largest planets in our solar system, are coming closer together than they have been since the Middle Ages, and it's happening right before Christmas, hence the nickname of the "Christmas Star."

On the night of December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will appear so close to one another that they will look like a bright splash in the night sky.

"Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another," "You'd have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky." said astronomer Patrick Hartigan, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University in Houston.

To read this article in full, please visit: cnn.com

The garden of the Zappeion building in Athens is filled with statues of great Greek benefactors, poets, and philosophers, and figures such as the "Young Fisherman" by Dimitrios Filippotis and "Eros" by Georgios Vroutos.

Until recently, the statues became shrouded in darkness at night, making their beauty disappear in the dark. However, about a year ago, Christina Vagena, the chairwoman of the Olympia and Bequests Committee that manages the historic site, decided to reach out to Eleftheria Deko – who recently designed the new lighting system of the Acropolis – to create the new lighting system for 17 of the Zappeion statues. This is worth noting that the internationally acclaimed lighting designer offered her services pro bono.

“It was an enormous honor for such a charismatic professional to offer her assistance free of charge and to breathe new life into the sculptures. When the pandemic blows over, all Athenians will have the pleasure of rediscovering them and enjoying them.”, stated Christina Vagena.


To read this article in full, please visit: greece-is.com

Photo: "Eros", by Georgios Vroutos. © Pavlos Zafiropoulos

Given the public's increasing familiarity with digital cultural experiences, the Acropolis Museum’s newly launched virtual edition is a delightful development. Digital visitors will be surprised by the virtual tour that will almost certainly instigate the desire to see the breathtaking collection in person once the museum reopens its doors.

 

“Research carried out by museums has shown that an interesting digital tour only strengthens the visitor’s desire to physically visit the museum and see the pieces depicted in the photographs up close,” says Stamatia Eleftheratou, the director of the Acropolis Museum’s collections and exhibitions.

 

The museum’s meticulously planned digital edition takes internet users around the museum and provides information on its temporary exhibits, special events, educational and family activities, research, conservation, and new technologies. The Acropolis Museum is the first Greek museum to display all of its permanent exhibits online, along with explanatory notes, available in English, German, Italian, French, and Spanish.

“Nothing can replace the experience of a proper museum visit, but the portal is a marvelous substitute, and not just because of the current situation,” says Eleftheratou. “Basically, it complements and/or strengthens a physical visit, while also giving remote audiences a very good idea of the space, its operation, its activities, and its collections.”

 

This remarkable endeavor involves the management of 27,755 digital archives, the digitization of 496 handwritten excavation logs, 110,000 photographs, 18,410 documentation forms for movable finds, and 7,500 conservation logs. The museum's  multifaceted digital archive is a fountain of knowledge waiting to be discovered by experts and amateurs alike.

To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.gr

The oldest library in Greece, the historical library of Zakynthos, has recently reopened its doors to the public with a refurbished 200 sqm Reading Room providing access to rare editions.

The library was founded in 1628 while Zakynthos was under Venetian rule, and its governor, Thomas Flaginis, donated 200 volumes to the city. It was formally inaugurated in 1803 and became an independent public service entity under historiographer Panagiotis Chiotis who enriched its collection with archaeological artifacts, a numismatics collection, and a gallery of art.

Today, the library contains almost 70,000 volumes, of which 50,000 are rare editions.

To read this article in full, please visit: tornosnews.gr