The famous Erechtheum of the Athenian Acropolis, renowned for the inclusion of six caryatids in its architectural plan, is about to get a new floor. The renovation, will allow visitors to enter inside the temple, is based on proposals made by the Acropolis Monuments Preservation division and approved by the Central Archaeological Council. The Erechtheum was constructed between 421 and 406 BC. The Ionic-style temple, revered as an outstanding if intriguing example of ancient Greek architecture, was used in antiquity to honor several divinities – among them, Athena, the patron goddess of ancient Athens. A vast extent of the temple’s floor has been destroyed by time, earthquakes, raids, vandalism and excavations. This has prevented today’s visitors from actually entering the monument. According to project heads, the foundations of the monument will be covered for protection. The process of renovation work will be clearly detailed to show the building’s various construction phases. In antiquity, the area covered by a floor was known as the “Prostomiaion.” According to ancient myths, under the Erechtheum’s Prostomiaion lay the salty water spring that Poseidon offered the Athenians as a prize. The floor plaques will be composed 14-centimeter thick marble, placed over a removable metal construction. The Ottomans used the western part of the northern wall and the monument’s narthex as water reservoirs. These will be visible during renovation.
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