Greece’s Ministry of Culture has defended the operation of the accessibility lift on the Acropolis’s Sacred Rock after recent criticism in the media. In a statement, it set out the general rules governing when the lift is taken out of service, including strong winds, heavy rain and prolonged extreme heat, insisting that such stoppages are a safety measure rather than a mechanical fault.

“Accessibility to the Sacred Rock is an ongoing and demanding undertaking, requiring technical responsibility, continuous oversight and strict adherence to safety rules, made possible by the staff of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens, the region’s archaeological authority, the specialised contracting company, and the support of the Onassis Foundation. The true picture of how the lift operates cannot be captured through isolated incidents and simplistic comparisons,” the statement says, responding to media reports and comments about the operation of the lift on the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis.

Specifically, the Ministry of Culture makes the following points in its statement:

“Accessibility at the Acropolis archaeological site is one of the most complex technical challenges involved in managing a unique monumental complex, owing to the site’s especially difficult terrain, its substantial differences in elevation, and the absolute requirement that every technical intervention be carried out without placing any burden on the monuments or the archaeological remains.

“Those who exploit the genuine difficulties and the non-negotiable conditions for the safe operation of the inclined lift appear either to ignore this basic principle or to deliberately forget it. The lift forms part of a wider effort to achieve real accessibility at the site, one that also includes accessible routes across the plateau, so that arrival on the Rock comes with the ability to tour its most important monuments.

“The lift was specially designed for the Acropolis’s especially demanding conditions, was installed in 2020, and both its installation and running costs are covered by the Onassis Foundation. It is a specialised electromechanical installation running along a route with steep and constantly changing terrain, at points where the gradient approaches the vertical. It is not, therefore, an ordinary piece of infrastructure that can be judged by simplistic comparisons, nor treated in the same terms as a conventional lift in a building.

“The lift is intended, on a priority basis, for:

• People with disabilities, and their companions where this is required and provided for
• People with mobility difficulties, such as users of walking aids (crutches, walking frames)
• Elderly people and others with limited mobility
• Pregnant women, at their own risk
• A parent travelling alone with two or more infants or toddlers

“The lift has a payload capacity of 1,300 kilograms and can accommodate two wheelchairs with their companions, or an ambulance stretcher with an escort. The journey takes about 32 seconds, and the installation has multiple safety systems in place to deal with power cuts or other emergencies. An installation of such technical complexity, operating under especially demanding conditions and serving a large number of visitors every day, requires systematic preventive and emergency maintenance. Maintenance is not a sign of weakness, nor can it be presented as a ‘fault,’ as it is by familiar opposition circles. It is a necessary condition for reliability and, above all, for the safety of users.

“The lift’s operation is suspended when:

• Wind strength exceeds the permitted safety limits, set at 5 on the Beaufort scale
• Extreme weather is observed, such as heavy rainfall
• Conditions may affect the system’s safe operation, such as sustained high temperatures over a continuous period

“The assessment is carried out on the basis of:

• Readings from the installed monitoring systems
• The manufacturer’s instructions and technical specifications
• Decisions taken by the Ministry of Culture’s relevant operating and security staff

“For anyone with even a basic knowledge of the Acropolis archaeological site, it is clear that the north slope in particular, and especially at the height where the lift operates, is highly exposed to weather conditions, and to strong winds in particular. When weather conditions exceed the limits for safe operation, the lift cannot, and above all must not, operate. The temporary suspension of its operation in these cases is not a technical failure but the application of the prescribed safety rules. No demand for uninterrupted operation can take precedence over protecting users.

“Since the end of 2025, maintenance and oversight of the lift’s smooth operation have been undertaken, with the support of the Onassis Foundation, by Kleemann Greece, a specialist lift maintenance company, which provides continuous technical support and immediate intervention where required. Every issue that arises in such a complex installation is dealt with by specialised staff, following the prescribed inspection and repair procedures. Operating an installation with such demands without maintenance, technical checks or adherence to safety limits would not simply be unrealistic; it would run counter to the rules of safe operation and would raise a safety issue for users.

“Since the start of the tourist season, from April 2026 to 20 August, the lift has completed 14,710 journeys. This figure is thoroughly indicative of how useful the lift is and how intensively it is used. It reflects the installation’s day-to-day contribution to ensuring access to the Sacred Rock for visitors with mobility difficulties, and gives the true picture of its operation, beyond the selective highlighting of isolated incidents by certain media outlets.

“Accessibility to the Sacred Rock is an ongoing and demanding undertaking, requiring technical responsibility, continuous oversight and strict adherence to safety rules, made possible by the staff of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the City of Athens, the specialised contracting company and the support of the Onassis Foundation. The true picture of how the lift operates cannot be captured through isolated incidents and simplistic comparisons. The effort to provide safe and equal access continues, with absolute priority given to protecting users and to respecting the Acropolis’s unique monumental setting. This is, and remains, the core obligation and priority of the Ministry of Culture.”