Controversial Makriyianni hotel license frozen by Council of State
The Council of State has upheld an appeal by residents in the central Athens district of Makriyianni against a pre-approved building license for a nine-story hotel that blocks the public's view of the Parthenon.
In a decision issued on Friday, judges at Greece's highest administrative court challenged the legality of the license, which had been granted under the previous Athens municipal authority for the construction of the hotel, which would also have included three basement levels and an additional rooftop structure.
The project, which has stirred widespread public reaction in Makriyianni, a neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis, had initially been given the green light by the Culture Ministry's Central Archaeological Council, which later rescinded its approval in response to the uproar.