Newsletter Eng7 SEL.1-18 Film
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À ™ ª ∞ TheÀ™ª∞ Acropolis Restoration News À ¶ ¶ √ À¶¶√ 7 ñ July 2007 The Propylaia and its surroundings from the level of the Parthenon metopes. Photo S. Mavrommatis, June 2007 Ch. Bouras, Theoretical principles of the interventions on the monuments of the Acropolis ª. πoannidou, 2000-2007, The restoration of the Acropolis by the YSMA F. Mallouchou-Tufano, ∂. Petropoulou, Public opinion poll about the restoration of the Acropolis monuments D. Englezos, Protective filling of ancient monuments. The case of the Arrephorion on the Athenian Akropolis ∂. Lembidaki, On the occasion of the new restoration of the temple of Athena Nike. Looking back at the history of the cult statue of Athena Nike C. Hadziaslani, I. Kaimara, A. Leonti, The new educational museum kit “The Twelve Olympian Gods” F. Mallouchou-Tufano, News from the Acropolis F. Mallouchou-Tufano, The restoration of the Erechtheion: 20 years later Theoretical principles of the interventions on the monuments of the Acropolis* 3 Under the circumstances, we were obliged small to large scale. The type of the peripter- lated outlook of Alexandria and Rome. ies and works. The Charter satisfactorily same monument, “syn-anastelosis” a simul- monuments for public purposes. During to manage and to perform interventions of al temple was crystalized, while, from the The boundaries standards set by the Athe- responds to a set of values that the western taneous anastelosis of remains of more than the decades of the 70’s and 80’s, the reuse great importance on monuments of unique standpoint of morphology, a ceaseless perfect- nian monuments will never be surpassed. world sees in the monuments of the past one period, in this specific case, restoration of the monuments and “integral" restora- value for the entire world; on architectural ing of forms is evident, beyond the natural, Hellenistic and Roman architecture during and it is significant that it has neither been of the remains of the Byzantine apse of the tion was considered obligatory in all inter- works that expressed the artistic volition reaching its peak in the Athenian Acropolis, the next six centuries produced imitations renewed nor replaced during the past 43 church of the Christian Parthenon; in ad- ventions. Yet, what meaning has all this and merit of the citizens of a city that once precisely when both the political and cultur- with other goals and with quality in practi- years. dition, to restore the marble pieces that when applied to the monuments of anti- not only held hegemony over all Greece al floruit reach their peak of perfection. cally continuous decline. Thus, the Committee for Conservation of had been removed earlier from the Roman quity such as those of Athens? Their only but, in terms of culture, supremacy through Shaped through tragedy, poetry and philos- the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA), while west door of the monument, to their origi- “use” is to be considered exhibits of great all antiquity. The heavy responsibility of ophy, a new consciousness emerges, and at What have we, the modern Greeks, inherit- aware of the Charter’s deficiencies, has nal state as bases for ex-votos around the artistic and educational value. Thus, the undertaking this work of rescue required the same time the purpose of temple-build- ed from that architecture, unprecedented in accepted all its articles, on which I shall now temple. The reinforced cement fillings of monuments that are “not living” become from the very beginning that the circle of ing undergoes a change. Now the building all the world? After catastrophes (wrought by comment. the Parthenon west door placed by Bala- more useful when they are more compre- those responsible be as wide as possible programmes project primarily the prestige human beings and not by the forces of na- nos, however, can in no way be considered hensible to the general public and when, in and that a number of theoretical principles and superiority of the polis (city-state). ture) we have inherited a pile of ruins. The In 1975, the political leadership considered as “phases” of the great temple. various ways, they can “teach” their mes- be established as a standard for decisions, The principle value is the artistic. There is constructional and formal self-sufficiency of the interdisciplinary approach and the col- Article 5 of the Charter refers to utilitary sage and promote their aesthetic values. large or small. The principles, indeed, are complete purity and clarity of architectural the architectural members means that the laboration of scholars of different special- values, and recommends the use of the Article 8 of the Charter provides that “The ruins preserve their artistic value to a great ties, demanded by Article 2 of the Charter, degree. Since antiquity the structural nature as absolutely necessary for the works of the of the members gradually became apparent: Acropolis. Today this interdisciplinary invisible joints in both columns and overly- composition is considered self-evident for ing members became visible and for various the undertaking of any serious archaeologi- different reasons gave a new character to the cal work, because the great extent of what is monuments, the character of the ruin. now attainable in the scholarly sphere has The collapse of the roofs and the pillaging brought to light problems previously un- increased the ruinous aspect, which was known. The earlier errors on the Acropo- consolidated later on. This was not a natur- lis, for which Nikolaos Balanos bore the al collapse (where one observes the inner sole responsibility, must not be repeated. law of the damage and fall) but it is the pro- Articles 2 and 11 refer to the historical and duct of violent activities. Despite that, in more general academic values of the monu- the eyes of the travellers and painters of the ments and the consequent principle of pre- period before the War of Independence, serving the significant additions of all peri- the romantic image of the Acropolis mon- ods, since the purpose of restoration is not The Acropolis from the west. Photo S. Mavrommatis, 1987 The east portico of the Propylaia from the east. Photo S. Mavrommatis, 1986 uments was created, together with the de- the cohesive unity of the original order. sire for things to remain unchanged. Here the situation is particularly difficult, no other than respect for the values, which form, which is achieved through the use of Immediately following the Revolution in- for in most cases the historical values clear- the community renders to material mon- marble, a material both difficult and valu- terventions began on nearly all the mon- ly militate against the artistic and one is uments but especially to the spirit of the mon- able. This clarity of form is in total corre- uments of the Rock, for the purpose of therefore obliged to evaluate and to assess uments. This is the subject of the present spondence with the lucidity of the word, of removing all the later elements that had which is the greater good. In accordance talk. reason. The hidden harmony of the refine- changed their appearance and also, to an with these articles, the later deformations, ments combines with the Doric seriousness extent, in order to strengthen them. changes, even vandalism, are part of the But the ancient Greeks themselves, their and balance of volume to achieve a perfect, During the final years of the 19th century, history of the building, having left their creators, what were the values they attrib- harmonious result. And this is based on an exhaustive excavation followed and the marks on its body and they are therefore to uted to their works? Basically, they were perfection of construction, when sculptural big anastelosis programme of Balanos, with be preserved. Yet, they change the form of artistic values. A brief retrospection of the members many tons in weight are set in which the image of the Acropolis was com- the building and they remove us from the architecture of antiquity demonstrates this. place with the precision of a tenth of a mil- pleted. This situation remained until 1975, ideals of the creator of the work. On the During the archaic period, the impetus for limeter. when the works that are in progress today Acropolis, the massive clearing between erecting temples came from religious senti- For the ancient Greeks, there were no other were programmed and initiated. 1835 and 1890 (a well known example ment, at that time still lively. The protect- values. The temple was a dedication to the being the so-called Frankish Tower of the ing deity guarded the city-state in return god, without interior function and the rele- All now know a set of principles that gov- Propylaia) has delivered us of this dilemma. for the honour. During the long process of vant cult practices took place in the open ern the interventions on ancient and histor- Yet, valuable evidence of the mediaeval his- maturing, from the utilitarian shelter of the air. It had no utilitarian value. The concept ical architectural monuments. It is the Char- tory of all the monuments has been lost. Be cult statue we moved on to the monumen- of historical values began to be apparent ter of Venice, that from 1964 to the present that as it may, the tower in the opisthonaos tal building, from substances easily worked later on, with the treasuring of culture, the is internationally accepted as the framework of the Parthenon has survived and Profes- The Parthenon from the west. Visible to the right is the mediaeval tower in the opisthonaos. to noble materials, stone and marble, from collections, the copies and the whole re- guiding studies and the evaluation of stud- sor Manolis Korres has planned, for this Photo F.