About us

    The Acropolis Restoration Service (YSMA) is a special peripheral service of the Ministry of Culture. It was established by the Presidential Edict 97/1999 (Φ.Ε.Κ. 104/Α/26.5.99) in order to organize and carry out the works of conservation and restoration on the Acropolis. Academic responsibility for carrying out the works has, since 1975, been held by the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments (ESMA), an interdisciplinary committee of specialist scholars.

    The Director of the YSMA is responsible for the coordination and unhindered function of the works, for its adherence to the time-frame and for introducing to the ESMA matters for which the Committee is responsible. The YSMA is divided into the following sections:

• Technical office and work-site for the conservation and restoration of the Parthenon
• Technical office and work-site for the conservation and restoration of the Propylaia
• Technical office and work-site for the conservation and restoration of the temple of Athena Nike
• Technical office and work-site for conservation, consolidation and restoration of the circuit walls of the Acropolis
• Office and workshop for inventory, documentation and cataloguing of the scattered architectural members
• Office and laboratory of surface conservation
• Technical office and laboratory of electrical engineering support
• Cast laboratory
• Documentation office
• Photographic laboratory
• Secretariat Office
• Public Relations and Education Office
• Accounting Office
• Office of support and management of material

    The responsibilities of each of the above work sections are described analytically in the By-laws for the Function of the Acropolis Restoration Service (ΦΕΚ Β' 1593/2002).

    Working today in the YSMA are 161 employees of all specialties: architects, civil engineers, archaeologists, chemical engineers, mechanical and eletrical engineers, conservators and conservation technicians, marble technicians, work technicians and administrative employees. Interdisciplinary collaboration in solving the problems and the fact that the personnel are specialists assure the high quality of the Acropolis works that has received international recognition.