A section of the dolphin fresco at Knossos collapsed on Friday while around 300 visitors were present at the site.
The collapse, which cannot be attributed to weather conditions, contrary to the Ministry of Culture’s statement, raises concerns about the monument’s maintenance, as relevant authorities have been warning for years about its deteriorating condition, according to “Nea Kriti.”
The Ministry of Culture’s announcement specifies that “the fresco detached yesterday afternoon due to the strong winds in the area. Due to the severe weather conditions, the operation of the archaeological site was temporarily suspended.”
The fresco (1960) is located in the Minoan Palace (the main visitor area of Knossos), specifically in the Queen’s apartments.
The Ministry also highlights that “necessary conservation and restoration studies have already been conducted for this specific section of the Minoan palace of Knossos, and the project is set to begin as part of the works funded by the Crete Regional Operational Program – NSRF 2021-2027.”
The fresco is made of plaster (the original is housed at the Heraklion Archaeological Museum) and consisted of three parts, two of which fell and broke.
According to “Nea Kriti,” the incident occurred shortly after 12 p.m., while a decision to evacuate the site had already been made due to strong winds in the area.
Following the announcement of the incident, opposition parties reacted, with PASOK urging the Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, “to take responsibility,” while SYRIZA criticized the “management and preservation of our cultural heritage.”
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