Greek authorities have decided to limit total daily visits to the Acropolis in Athens, and to use a quota system to spread visitors across the day to avoid overcrowding. The limit will be 20,000 visitors per day.
The new rules came into effect last week, and will be considered a trial until next April, when they may be modified or become permanent. The 20,000 total is nearly as many as the 23,000 one-day record, but will result in less crowding because visitors will need to sign up for timed slots.
Typically, most visitors come before noon, especially in the hot summer. Under the new system, 3,000 will be allowed to enter between 8 and 9 a.m. and 2,000 more between 9 and 10. Quotas will vary through the day for the rest; the monument and the Acropolis Museum close at 8 p.m.
The Acropolis is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is one of the world's best known attractions and perhaps the oldest publicly-accessible archaeological site, having served visitors since 1833, shortly after Greek independence.
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