Greece has begun limiting the number of tourists who can visit the Acropolis in Athens each day in an effort to avoid “unpleasant conditions” and protect the historic site, CNN reports.

The Acropolis of Athens, one of the most famous tourist attractions in Greece and the world, attracts about 23,000 visitors every day. Lina Mendoni, Greece’s culture minister, said in August that the figure was “enormous”.

Mendoni then explained that although the site is open until 8pm, most visitors choose to visit in the morning, creating overcrowding and “unpleasant conditions for the site, visitors and staff trying to manage such a large number of people”.

The task of the new system, which is currently being implemented experimentally, is to reduce overcrowding and guarantee the safety and longevity of the historical monument.

As authorities aim to reduce the number of daily visitors to the Acropolis to 20,000, one of the tools used is a centralized website where tickets can be bought and the number sold can be tracked. On the same website, you can buy tickets and visit other historical sights and museums of Greece.

Greece closed the Acropolis to visitors in mid-July because of the heat, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

The measure, which was applied to the hottest hours of the day, was extended to all archaeological sites in Greece a week later. The Acropolis of Athens is the most visited tourist destination in Greece.