EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE MARK
The European Heritage Label is an initiative of the European Union based on an intergovernmental initiative of 2006. It was established by Decision 1194/2011 EU of the European Parliament and Council.
The general objectives of the European Cultural Heritage Label are to strengthen the European consciousness of European citizens, especially that of young people, which is based on common values and elements of European history and cultural heritage, as well as on the respect of national and local specificity and in strengthening intercultural dialogue. For this reason, the Mark emphasizes the symbolic value and highlights the character of the places that played an important role in the history and culture of Europe and in the founding of the European Union.
Official Journal of the European Union ( O J) low 303 of 22 November 2011
“The Heart of Ancient Athens, the Acropolis and the unified archaeological sites around it”, is the place where the most basic aspects of European identity emerged: Democracy, Philosophy, Sciences, Arts.
In 2014 it was included in the list of European cultural heritage sites of the European Union for the catalytic role it played in the History and Culture of Europe.
“The Heart of Ancient Athens: the Acropolis and its Surrounding Archaeological Areas” is an extensive archaeological area that includes an important group of more than a hundred monuments, which represent the core of Ancient Athens over a period of more than 3,000 years.
It includes the hill of the Acropolis with its southern and northern sides, which was the central point of Athenian worship and religion, the Ancient and Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, the western hills of Pnykos, Areio Pagos, Filopappos (Mouson) and Nympho ( Asteroskopiou), where daily life developed and finally, Kerameikos, the edge of the city, which was a burial place for the dead and also housed the pottery workshops.
In this very area, democracy, philosophy, theater and freedom of expression were born, the intellectual elements that still give the values and principles of the modern western world.