Greece to rent out ancient sites

Updated January 18, 2012 12:03:41

Photo: Available for rent: The Parthenon atop the Acropolis (Yiorgos Karahalis: Reuters)

In a move bound to leave many Greeks and scholars aghast, Greece will open up some of the debt-stricken country's most-cherished archaeological sites to advertising firms and other ventures.

The Greek culture ministry says the first site to be opened will be the Acropolis.

It says the move is a commonsense way of helping "facilitate" access to the country's ancient Greek ruins, and says money generated will fund the upkeep and monitoring of sites.

For decades, archaeologists have slammed such an initiative as sacrilege.

The culture ministry says any renting of ancient Greek sites will be subject to strict conditions.

According to a ministerial briefing dating from the end of December, a commercial firm could rent the Acropolis for a professional photographic shoot for as little as 1,600 euros a day ($1,950). Demonstrators could also rent the ancient landmark.

Greece needs every euro it can get. The country's public coffers are drained and the nation is struggling to avoid a historic debt default in March.

Greece was bailed out in May 2010 by the European Union and International Monetary Fund and is in the process of nailing down a second rescue, though it is undergoing tough talks with private creditors to reduce its massive debt mountain.

Commercial use of Greece's archaeological sites has until now been the responsibility of the Central Council of Archaeology, which has been very choosy about who gains access.

In recent decades, only a select few people, including Greek-Canadian filmmaker Nia Vardalos and American director Francis Ford Coppola, have been able to use the Acropolis.

Most filming and advertising requests have been refused.

Greece to rent out ancient sites - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)