Travel in light: Impressive illumination of the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio with the images going around the world

Neptune’s temple shines from today (16/9/24) even more. The iconic monument that dominates the imposing Cape of Sounion, enchanting thousands of visitors from all over the world every year, now impresses for another reason: His new light! The new lighting at Poseidon’s temple in Sounio was inaugurated by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the presence of Culture Minister Lena Mendonis and distinguished guests. The new lighting event was accompanied by the greetings of Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis, Minister of Culture L. Mendoni and the president of METLEN Energy & Metals, Evangelos Mytiliniou, who took over the study and implementation of the project. However, it was also flooded by the unique musicians of Stavros Xarchakos, who paid tribute to the cultural heritage of Greece, along with the leading singers Dimitris Basis, Iro Shaia and Zacharia Karouni, while members of the orchestra of contemporary music of ERT went musically under the guidance of the distinguished composer. The patronage of the lighting was undertaken by the internationally acclaimed Freedom Deceau. “This is an intervention that was imposed, as the new lighting upgrades the monument, shielding and integrity, because it highlights its unique geometry, the enclosure itself, its rocky relief environment, while parallel works at the entrance and exit points will allow everyone the safest access,” the prime minister said in his speech. “From now on we will be able to admire the greatness of space from every corner, whether we see it from the sea or from the land, in a work edited by Eleftheria Dekoo and her team with the same sensitivity that we saw in the similar intervention that she did on the Acropolis Rock with the courtesy of the Onassis Foundation and with the same respect for the environment from light pollution during the night. I dare say that this is how Poseidon’s temple acquires the range that our ancestors would have envisioned, but at the same time the conditions to now be part of modern life with events such as today’s, for example… Because the stake of culture is not only the preservation of the legacy of the past, but also its participation in shaping the present and the future,” stressed Mr. Mitsotakis. Particular attention was paid to ensuring that visitors’ visual experience in the archaeological site will not be disrupted during the day. All the elements of the facility and the lighting bodies were placed in such a way that they did not prevent browsing and not cause visual disturbance to visitors. The locations of the lamps, as well as the routes of the wiring and electrical installations, were designed and placed with care at appropriate points to ensure the seamless operation of the space. The illumination of the temple was shown internationally and closed with the concert of the distinguished Greek composer Stavros Xarchakos, who presented a musical composition that pays tribute to the cultural heritage of Greece. The concert was organized by leading Greek artists, such as Dimitris Bassis, Hero Saia, and Zacharias Karounis, a multi-member choir and orchestra of string and wind, under the guidance of Stavros Xarchakos.