Rent a monument

The Central Archeological Council has opined, by majority, in favor of making the Kallimarmaron Stadium and the Stoa of Attalos available for the functions of two private firms in May and June, for a fee.

For many years the issue was taboo. It was alright to have horde of gum chewing tourists trample through monuments, but not to rent them for anything, i.e. private functions, or even film shoots.

The functions of the private firm, a performance at the Kallimarmaron, and a theatrical performance at the Stoa, have high cultural value, as was mentioned at the Council meeting, with the Olympic ideal as the focus of the first, and classical music of the other. However, both functions will be followed by dining.

At the Kallimarmaron the seating will occupy a limited area near the entrance, while at the Stoa guests will be seated beyond the monument's colonnade along the landing formed there.

The dance performance will take place between the two parallel colonnades which lie beyond the exhibition area. In both cases, the people hosted should not exceed 120 persons.

The functions will take place within the framework of promotional activities by a foreign investment firm.

Furthermore, the Stoa of Attalos was requested by a global entrepreneurial organization for a function for their annual conference.

The decision was taken amidst opposition from council members that claimed that such events degrade the importance of the monuments, others that held that cultural events were fine, but dining was not, and other who objected to their use by non-state actors.