The historical photos from the first transfer of the Caryatids of Erechtheion in 1979 for maintenance can be seen by researchers and the public in the digital repository created by the National Documentation Center for the Acropolis Restoration Service (YSMA).

The new digital “library,” implemented by a digital business convergence program, includes more than 3,000 photographs, over 500 plans, reports, studies and audiovisual material from the restoration of the Erechtheion covering the period from 1903 to 2013.

Visitors can browse by architectural element, type of item, author or date. There is also a multifunctional search engine to help researchers, while the interface is simple and elegant. Particularly important is the fact that all the material is available in English too.

“The repository allows for opportunities of enrichment with new material, depending on the progress of projects,” says the director of YSMA Vassiliki Eleftheriou. Upcoming projects and documents soon to be posted on the database are the Temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaea, depending on the service capabilities.

In 1964, the famous “Charter of Venice” was written, which contains the guiding principles for the preservation and restoration of monuments along with the need to record them in a public file, to ensure transparency of operations and the preservation of historical information.

“During the 50s and 60s things were more difficult and disorganized. Archaeological activities were rarely published, whereas natural events such as earthquakes would later give rise to questions about the condition of the monuments. The lag in documentation was widespread.” said the president of the Acropolis Restoration Service, Haralambos Bouras.

The collection of material began in 1975, while in 1988 the YSMA created its own database. The digital repository has since amended the documentation in accordance with international standards for the national and international dissemination of information.

Explore the repository at repository-ysma.ekt.gr.