Ancient Greek temple

A giant statue dating back about 2,500 years has been restored to Sicily's Valley of the Temples, an archeological site which ancient Greek poet Pindar described as "man's finest city."

A new lighting system will be installed at the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio, the Culture Ministry announced on Wednesday.

Mice welcome visitors to the Temple of Apollo Smintheus, located in the northwestern province of Çanakkale's Ayvacık district. The mouse figures that were placed on some of the steps of the temple in 2018 refer to an old belief in mythology.

The restoration in the Temple of Athena that started two years ago due to the use of the ruins as the entrance of a nightclub nears an end, due to complete in 2024, in the ancient city of Side.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni underscored that the government does not consider the exchange, loan or recognition of the British Museum's possession of the Parthenon Sculptures, in answering a question from an opposition MP in parliament on Monday. 

For decades, Britain and Greece were able to differ, largely politely, over the world's toughest cultural heritage dispute: What's the right place for some of the finest ancient Greek sculptures ever made, which have been displayed in London for more than 200 years but which Greece vocally wants back.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled Tuesday's meeting with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after his office said the two sides had previously agreed that it should not be used as a public platform "to relitigate long, long settled matters," a reference to ownership of the Parthenon Sculptures.

A full moon known as the "Sturgeon Moon" rises behind the Temple of Poseidon, in Cape Sounion, near Athens, August 1. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]

The French Department of the Rhone returned a marble fragment from the Erechtheion temple on the Acropolis to Greece's possession in Lyon on Thursday. 

A person takes a photo as a full moon known as the "Buck Moon" rises behind the Temple of Poseidon, in Cape Sounion, near Athens, Greece, on July 3, 2023. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]