Editing Acropolis of Athens (section)

==The Acropolis Restoration Project==
[[File:Acropolis under construction 2014.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|View east toward the Acropolis under construction during summer 2014.]]

The Acropolis Restoration Project began in 1975 to reverse the decay of centuries of attrition, pollution, destruction from military actions, and misguided past restorations. The project included the collection and identification of all stone fragments, even small ones, from the Acropolis and its slopes, and the attempt was made to restore as much as possible using reassembled original material ([[anastylosis]]), with new marble from [[Mount Pentelicus]] used sparingly. All restoration was made using [[titanium]] dowels and is designed to be completely reversible, in case future experts decide to change things. A combination of cutting-edge modern technology and extensive research and reinvention of ancient techniques were used.<ref name=umich>[http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/modgreek/Home/Window%20to%20Greek%20Culture/Lectures%20at%20U-M/LaUM_Mallouchou_restorationacropolis.pdf Fani Mallouchou-Tufano, "The Restoration of the Athenian Acropolis"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121202215359/http://www.lsa.umich.edu/UMICH/modgreek/Home/Window%20to%20Greek%20Culture/Lectures%20at%20U-M/LaUM_Mallouchou_restorationacropolis.pdf |date=2012-12-02 }}, University of Michigan. Retrieved 9 February 2013.</ref>

The Parthenon colonnades, largely destroyed by Venetian bombardment during the 17th century, were restored, with many wrongly assembled columns now properly placed. The roof and floor of the Propylaea were partly restored, with sections of the roof made of new marble and decorated with blue and gold inserts, as in the original.<ref name=umich/> Restoration of the Temple of Athena Nike was completed in 2010.<ref>[http://www.ysma.gr/static/files/Newsletter11_ENG.pdf "2010–2011, The progress of restoration on the Acropolis"], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820234711/http://www.ysma.gr/static/files/Newsletter11_ENG.pdf|date=2018-08-20}}, ''The Acropolis Restoration News'', July 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2013.</ref>

A total of 2,675 tons of architectural members were restored, with 686 stones reassembled from fragments of the originals, 905 patched with new marble, and 186 parts made entirely of new marble. A total of 530 cubic meters of new Pentelic marble were used.<ref>[http://www.columbia.edu/cu/hellenic/ "Acropolis Restoration Project-Lecture by Maria Ioannidou, Director, Acropolis Restoration Service"], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123225042/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/hellenic/|date=2013-01-23}}, Columbia University. Retrieved 9 February 2013.</ref>

In 2021, the addition of new [[reinforced concrete]] paths to the site to improve accessibility caused controversy among archaeologists.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stamouli |first1=Nektaria |title=Restoration of Greece's Acropolis causes uproar |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/greek-temple-restoration-acropolis-archeologists-alexis-tsipras/ |access-date=25 September 2021 |work=Politico Europe |date=17 June 2021 |archive-date=25 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925032728/https://www.politico.eu/article/greek-temple-restoration-acropolis-archeologists-alexis-tsipras/ |url-status=live }}</ref>