THE temple of Poseidon in Sounio it “shines” even more from today. The emblematic monument that dominates the imposing cape of Souni, enchanting thousands of visitors from all over the world every year, now impresses for another reason: The new lighting that was inaugurated tonight by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the presence of the Minister of Culture Linas Mendoni and distinguished guests, including Konstantinos Tasoulas, Speaker of the Parliament, Iason Fotilas, Deputy Minister of Culture, Angela Gerekou, President of EOT, Evangelos Venizelos, Academician Manolis Korres, Antonis Papadimitriou, President of the Onassis Foundation and others.
The event for the new lighting was framed by the greetings of the Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis, the Minister of Culture L. Mendonis and the president of METLEN Energy & Metals, Evangelos Mytilinaios, who undertook the study and implementation of the project. However, he was also overwhelmed by his unique music Stavros Xarchakoswho paid tribute to the cultural heritage of Greece, together with leading singers Dimitris Bassis, Iro Saia and Zacharias Karounis, while members of the ERT modern music orchestra ‘walked’ musically under the guidance of the distinguished composer. The lighting was overseen by the internationally acclaimed Eleftheria Deco.
“This is an intervention that was imperative, as the new lighting upgrades the monument, shielding its integrity as well, because it highlights its unique geometry, the enclosure itself, its rocky relief environment, while the parallel works at the entry and exit points , will allow safer access for all,” said the prime minister in his speech.
“So from now on we will be able to admire the greatness of the space from every corner, whether we face it from the sea or from the land, in a project edited by Eleftheria Deco and her team with the same sensitivity that we saw in the similar intervention that did on the Acropolis Rock with the kind sponsorship of the Onassis Foundation and with the same respect for the environment from light pollution during the night.
I dare to say that this is how the temple of Poseidon acquires the scope that our ancestors would have envisioned, but at the same time also the conditions for it to be part of modern life with events like today’s for example… Because the stake of civilization is not only the preservation of the heritage of the past, but also its participation in shaping the present and the future”emphasized among others K. Mitsotakis.
“The temple of Souni was the most important point of an ancient sea route. It was the very spot where the ancient ships turned their rudder up to sail the Archipelago. Tonight, we render to the Greek and international public the completed phase of the program, which concerns the main part of the sanctuary and the temple of Poseidon.
Next comes the lighting of the wall, which protects the cape from the north and east sides, as well as the settlement, which it encloses. The lighting of the monument and its immediate surroundings, without harmful interventions and alterations of its physiognomy, effectively and uniformly highlights its volume, plasticity and geometry. It was a complex exercise, requiring specialized studies”emphasized, among others, L. Mendoni.
And he added: “Eleftheria Deco and its partners, specialized in complex lighting projects, with extensive international experience and distinctions in highlighting monuments and cultural spaces, undertook the preparation and implementation of the demanding technical studies for a series of similar projects for the Ministry of Interior, with the leading lighting of the monuments and the Rock of the Acropolis of Athens, the temple of Hephaestus in Theseio and the Philopappos Monument. The Ephorate of Antiquities of Eastern Attica ensured that the new lighting bodies are placed in positions that will not cause visual disturbance during the day to visitors, that the electrical installations and cable routes do not hinder the smooth operation of the space. Not to cause an aesthetic burden.
The study on the sanctuary and the temple of Poseidon in Sounio – which received the unanimous positive opinion of the Central Archaeological Council – aims to highlight and emphasize the third dimension of depth and relief, both in the whole and in the individual architectural elements of the monument. As well as the particular textures of the building materials, from every possible point of view, through the variation of intensity and shade of white light, between the external and internal parts of the temple. Compared to the past, the triple number of lighting fixtures offers greater flexibility and efficiency, without causing light pollution.
The use of LED technology makes them environmentally friendly, offering increased performance and color adaptability with significant energy savings, over a long period of time.” underlined L. Mendoni, thank youwith “all without exception the numerous factors for the even, as well as impressive, result we enjoy today”.
“Today presents in the best possible way the power of human creation. The modern lighting with respect to the value and beauty of the monument reveals new dimensions of its architecture that will surely impress every visitor. The unique image we will see will travel to every corner of the earth today online, reminding us that beauty, beauty has its roots here in Greece”Mr. Mytileneos emphasized in his speech.
The old lighting
The old lighting of the temple, installed in 2004 by the Ministry of Culture in the context of the Athens Olympic Games, offered a new visual experience, strengthening Sounio as an international destination for thousands of visitors. Twenty years later, however, the antiquated system had suffered the wear and tear of time, resulting in deterioration of the lighting, which necessitated the installation of a modern lighting system.
The new lighting of the Souni temple highlights in a unique way the archaeological and architectural importance of the monument, giving it new dimensions. Special care was taken to ensure that the visual experience of visitors to the archaeological site during the day would not be disturbed. All the elements of the installation and the lighting fixtures were placed in such a way that they do not obstruct the navigation and do not cause visual disturbance to the visitors. The positions of the lighting fixtures, as well as the routes of the wiring and electrical installations, were carefully planned and placed in appropriate places to ensure the smooth operation of the space.
The temple of Poseidon was built of local marble from Agrileza on the ruins of an archaic temple made of porolith, around 444 – 440 BC. The entrance to the fortress of the cape of Souni was made through the accessible gate, from the port, in the northwestern part of the wall. The highest point of the fortress is occupied by the Poseidon mosque, which is defined by a built enclosure.
The lighting study for highlighting the sanctuary is carried out in two phases. The first phase includes the Poseidon mosque, which is defined by a built enclosure, and includes the temple in its southern part and on the northwest side of the mosque the large and the smaller stoa. The second phase includes the walls of the fortress that extend on the north and east sides, as well as the remains of the settlement, with the main characteristic being the main street that goes up from west to east, and the new house.
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