The famous Acropolis, set on a rocky hill
overlooking the capital, and other nearby tourist attractions were closed on
Thursday 13 June afternoon as winds from North Africa pushed temperatures
towards 43 degrees Celsius.
Many primary schools and nurseries across
the country were closed to protect students from the heat, which was expected
to recede on Saturday.
In Athens, tourists stopped at drinking
fountains to cool their heads and necks. Locals sat in air-conditioned rooms
set up by the city, using handheld fans to create a breeze. Firefighters who
put out several wildfires on Wednesday remained on high alert as strong winds
were expected to hit several parts of the country.
Greece is one of the most hard-hit
countries by global warming in Europe, with rising temperatures fuelling deadly
fires and erratic rains in recent years. Athens, a city of five million people
which sits in a coastal bowl jammed with apartment blocks and flanked by
mountains, is one of the hottest cities in Europe.
Scientists warn
that summer temperatures there could rise by an average of 2 degrees by 2050. Athens mayor Haris Doukas has tried to
create more shade by planting 2000 trees.
"Our first goal shall be to lower
the median temperature, the felt-air temperature," he told Reuters.
"There are areas where the temperature is 15 or 20 times higher on cement
or a city road, compared to a shady area."