Greece Makes Polytechnic Gate a Protected Monument
by Bill Giannopoulos · Greek City TimesThe Polytechnic gate and part of the fence on Patision Street are now modern monuments, days before the 53rd anniversary of the 1973 student uprising against the junta.
Two councils that advise the Culture Ministry backed the listing unanimously. The Central Archaeological Council and the Central Council of Modern Monuments took the decision at a joint meeting on Thursday.
Alongside these, the councils listed the original iron Polytechnic gate that a junta tank brought down on 17 November 1973. That wrecked gate now stands in the courtyard of the historic complex.
The decision also covers a bronze head by sculptor Memos Makris, made in honour of historian Nikos Svoronos. Over the decades, it has become closely linked to the students’ struggle.
Read more: Final Chipperfield Designs Approved for National Archaeological Museum Extension
Polytechnic gate and the 1973 uprising
Council members recognised the historical value of these features as symbols of resistance by students and citizens against the dictatorship. As a result, listing the Polytechnic gate and the other items strengthens protection for the whole complex.
The uprising began on 14 November 1973 at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), according to the university’s history.
It ended on 17 November, when army tanks moved against those inside the campus. Several demonstrators died, and the junta fell a few months later.
Since then, Greece has marked the anniversary every year on 17 November. Last year, Greek City Times reported that the campus opened to the public for the 52nd anniversary.
Separately, debate over the junta’s legacy flared after a statue honouring dictator Georgios Papadopoulos sparked controversy.
Sculptor behind the bronze head
Born in Patras in 1913, Makris studied sculpture at the Athens School of Fine Arts, according to his National Gallery biography.
He fought in the resistance during the German occupation and sailed to France on the Mataroa in 1945. In 1950, he settled in Hungary, and he died in Athens in 1993.
His 1979 work, In Honour of the Victims, grew out of an older bust he had made for his friend Svoronos. Student unions asked for it to stand in the Polytechnic courtyard.
Although the head does not depict any victim of the uprising, it has become a place of tribute. Every year, students, pupils, parties and citizens of all ages lay wreaths and flowers there, opposite the wrecked Polytechnic gate.
Commemorations for the 53rd anniversary will take place on Tuesday 17 November.
Source: ERT News
Stay connected to Greek City Times for Free on Google News
Click NOW
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on WhatsApp, Google News and Apple News.
Related coverage
- Greece Marks 10 Years Since The Opening Of The Holy Sepulchre
- Greek Student Rocket Team Wins Two European Awards
- Athens Swaps Asphalt for Marble at a Sacred Site
Advertising