Greece’s Tatoi Palace in Athens is under threat of a ravaging wildfire. Fire crews of over 700 people have been working through the night to battle the flames.
Evacuations are taking place in the threatened area, and the Greek Ministry of Culture has ordered the royal collection, documents and other objects of great value be evacuated out of the historic palace.
The palace is 27 kilometres north of Athens and is the former estate of the Greek Royal Family.
The deposed King of Greece, Constantine, resides in the country, and his second son, Prince Nikolaos, is reportedly at the palace and watching the situation closely.
The fires have reached the Royal Cemetery and the Royal Park. The President of the Association of Friends of Tatoi has described the situation as critical.
Tatoi Palace is the burial place of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’s father, Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. Two of Philip’s older sisters, Princesses Theodora and Cecilie, were also born at the palace.
It is also is the birthplace of Queen Sofía of Spain and her father, King Paul; Paul is also buried at the palace.
A major archaeological site in southern Greece that was the origins of the ancient Olympics, Ancient Olympia, is also under threat by the inferno. The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has visited both locations and blamed the fire on climate change.
Greece, and most of Europe, have been dealing with a large heatwave. The specific cause of this fire has not been determined, but many suspect human carelessnesses of building fires in such circumstances.
So far, no deaths or serious injuries have been reported.
