The Department of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments of the Ministry of Culture responds to today’s publication of the “Editors’ Newspaper” about the fountain in Syntagma Square. According to the publication, the fountain, which is proclaimed monumentremains dirty, while the relevant department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is delaying the relevant study, which must also be passed by the KSNM.

OR Directorate of Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments of the YPPO informs that the study has been prepared and has already been included in the Agenda to be considered on 11/22/24 at the Central Council of Newer Monuments.

It also notes that “it offered, on the basis of the long-term and cordial cooperation with the services of the Municipality of Athens and in excess of its obligations, to prepare the maintenance study, in order to be able to implement scientifically appropriate interventions and periodic maintenance of the fountain in the future from the Municipality”, emphasizing “that the care for the good condition of the fountain, the preparation of the studies, as well as and the execution of the works is the exclusive competence and responsibility of the Municipality, which must carry out in a timely manner”.

The following is the announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

In relation to today’s publication of the “Newspaper of the Editors” about the fountain of Syntagma Square, the competent Directorate for the Preservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments of the Ministry of Culture responds as follows:

“On the occasion of the publication of your newspaper entitled: “Something … stinks with the fountain of Syntagma Square” on 21/11/2024, in order to restore the truth, we clarify the following:

The fountain of Athens, which still adorns Syntagma Square today, was designed by Ernst Ziller at the end of the 19th century, in the year 1872. Following a query from the Electricity Network and Infrastructure Maintenance Department, the Electrical Department, of the Municipality of Athens to the EFA of the City of Athens, which was forwarded to our Service via e-mail at 3/15, we were asked for instructions regarding cleaning the fountain. The Directorate for the Maintenance of Ancient and Modern Monuments, after an autopsy it carried out on 16/5 to determine the needs of the monument, offered, on the basis of the long-term and cordial cooperation with the services of the Municipality of Athens and in excess of its obligations, to prepare the maintenance study, in order to be able to implement scientifically appropriate interventions and periodic maintenance of the fountain in the future from the Municipality. We emphasize, however, that the care for the good condition of the fountain, the preparation of the studies, as well as the execution of the works are the exclusive competence and responsibility of the Municipality, which must be carried out in a timely manner. The Departments of the Ministry of Health (YNMETEAASEK and DSANM) are only responsible for approving the relevant studies and monitoring the interventions during their implementation stage.

It is clarified that the state of the fountain presents the permanent problems of sculptures and constructions that are in the public space of an urban center. Its poor image is mainly due to inappropriate previous operations of a reparative nature (filling losses, sealing cracks/joints, as well as the possible use of covering material with incompatible materials/of unknown origin) and subsequently, the failures of these operations, which have been carried out without the approval of our Service. Other damage it presents mainly concerns vandalism. It is also pointed out that this image is the result of several years of neglect.

The problems presented by the fountain are solved by the study prepared by our Service, despite the workload, given that it has competence at the national level and carries out projects in all Regions of the country. The study in question has already been included in the Agenda to be examined on 22/11/24 at the Central Council of Newer Monuments.

After its approval, it will be sent to the Municipality of Athens for its own actions.

After the above please for the publication of our answer.

The Head of the Directorate

Maria Mertzani».