Knossos rejected by Unesco

"Knossos will not be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Monuments until the area around the site will be improved", stressed out the president of the Greek National Committee of UNESCO, Mrs Tzitzikosta. Knossos, the famous Minoan site that is visited by thousands of people from around the world every year, has not managed to be included in this list due to the illegally-constructed houses around it and the high level of noise pollution. The monument fulfills all the other terms, except for the nice surrounding area. Mrs Tzitzikosta said that these problems can be confronted but the contribution of the Greek state is needed. "If there are houses where people actually live and these houses are illegal, then the state could compensate these people. The benefit that Crete will enjoy if Knossos is included in the UNESCO list are much more impotant than the cost that muct be now paid". It is worth to mention that 17 Greek monuments are included in UNESCO World Heritage List: - Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassea (1986) - Acropolis Athens (1987) - Archaeological Site of Delphi (1987) - Meteora (1988) - Medieval City of Rhodes (1988) - Mount Athos (1988) - Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus (1988) - Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika (1988) - Archaeological Site of Olympia (1989) - Archaeological Site of Mystras (1989) - Delos (1990) - Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios (1990) - Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos (1992) - Archaeological Site of Vergina (1996) - Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns (1999) - Chora with the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and the Cave of Apocalypse on the island of Patmos (1999) - Old Town of Corfu (2007)