Glass floor for Monastiraki Sq
With the September deadline looming for the re-opening of the capital’s refurbished Monastiraki Square, the Culture Ministry’s Central Archaeological Council (KAS) yesterday decided to create a glass floor so that pedestrians can see the Iridanos River bed but not pollute it. The decision to lay glass over the large sunken space around the 10th-century Pandanassa Church was taken following meetings with architects who considered many other options, including the use of mesh to allow visitors to hear the sound of the stream underfoot as well as seeing the river. The long-delayed renovation of the square, one of the capital’s busiest spots, will also extend to a historic fountain whose base was found on the site of Hadrian’s Library. Kiosks currently operating in Monastiraki Square will be removed before the site re-opens to the public. The square has been fenced off since last November when renovation work finally got under way following a four-year delay.
