Greece shuts the Acropolis as work restrictions remain amid heatwave

Tourists walk outside the Acropolis of Athens in Greece (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

Authorities closed the Acropolis for several hours on Tuesday over high temperatures as work restrictions remained in effect in other parts of Greece.

A Culture Ministry archaeological service announced the closure between 1pm and 5pm.

A tourist with an umbrella walks outside the Acropolis of Athens, Greece (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

Mandatory work breaks were imposed in several other regions, mostly on islands and parts of central Greece, where temperatures exceeded 40C.

The measures started on Monday for outdoor workers.

Temperatures exceeded 40C in some parts of the country (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

Those who do not comply face a 2,000 euro (£1,728) fine per worker.

Authorities said the risk of wildfires, already “very high” across the eastern mainland, is expected to increase during the week.