Byzantine monastery gets modern fireproofing

In the hills northwest of Athens in the suburb of Haidari, the Ministry of Culture is installing a comprehensive fire safety system at the Dafni Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose 11th-century mosaics have survived nearly a millennium of invasions and earthquakes.

The project, a collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, includes underground water tanks, sprinkler networks and a defensive perimeter. The irony is stark: a monastery built for eternity now requires 21st-century protection against an uncertain climate future. Where medieval monks feared barbarian raids, today’s custodians worry about longer droughts and increasingly severe wildfires.

The golden mosaics of Christ Pantocrator, gazing down from the central dome, will soon be watched over by motion sensors and fire detectors.

Source: ekathimerini.com