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Visitors to the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates in Limassol were recently caught on camera climbing parts of the ancient monument, apparently treating the centuries-old site as little more than a selfie backdrop.
The incident, documented by architect Sotiris Giannakou, shows students on the Erasmus program ignoring repeated calls to step down from the sacred ruins. Giannakou, who witnessed the scene along with around 40 other visitors, posted photos on social media, calling the behavior a “trampling on our very relationship with the past.”
“They got down only after persistent shouting,” Giannakou said, noting that staff on site tried to intervene, while the Base Police collected statements. The Department of Antiquities is expected to take further action and has contacted the Erasmus Committee, emphasizing that the students had been granted free entry but still showed no respect for the site or the state.
In his post, Giannakou lamented, “It is not just an ancient monument; it is part of our identity, our heritage, and it hurts to see it treated with such recklessness.”
The incident highlights a growing problem worldwide, as popular tourist sites struggle to balance accessibility with preservation. In Greece, authorities have introduced strict visitor schedules and special zones at the Parthenon. In Rome, the Trevi Fountain now requires paid entry, limits daily visitors, and has seen tourists fined for reckless behavior, including a 500-euro penalty and lifetime ban for someone who jumped in February.
