Damages to the Hellenic Institute for Byzantine Studies in Venice

The Hellenic Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies has suffered damages, to a limited extent for the time being, due to the new sharp water levels rise in Venice.

As the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Institute, AUTh Professor Christos Arabatzis, who visited Venice, told ANA-MPA, “all the damages are located in the Library”.

The previous days, Institute officials had taken action by moving books from the lower shelves to higher points, as the official forecast was that the water level would reach 1 meter and 45 cm.

However, the rise surpassed all estimates, and the city of Venice was hit last night by the second-largest flood (187cm and just 7cm lower than 1966), sinking into water, squares and alleys and flooding the building sites of the Institute.

Since the first recording today, in addition to wet books, the power grid and the Institute’s elevator have also been damaged.

Source: ANA-MPA