Radar Installation on Papoura Hill Crushes Ancient Wonders for Airport Tech

• The Central Archaeological Council (KAS) approved the radar installation near the Papoura Hill monument
• Strong opposition from the Minoa Pediada municipality, Greek and international archaeologists
• The monument is a major Minoan find, capturing scientific interest worldwide
• Radar placement will sit just 30 meters from the ancient structure
• Protests and petitions highlight threats to research and public access
• Official promises for alternative sites fell flat

How to Lose a Monument in Thirty Meters

The Central Archaeological Council, in an almost unanimous move, greenlit a new radar installation project practically on top of Papoura Hill’s archaeological site in Kastelli, Heraklion. The announcement came despite vocal objections from local governments, concerned scientists, and international archaeologists, all of whom waved petitions and pointed to written studies. The hill’s ancient Minoan structure, a 50-meter-wide circular wonder, wasn’t impressive enough to stop the advance of airport radar towers. The council’s decision, made on July 9, successfully ignored piles of signatures and warnings about putting shovels and metal where history should shine.

This monument on Papoura Hill is celebrated as a rare architectural feat, drawing curiosity (and plane tickets) from experts around the globe. It was unearthed during construction for the New Heraklion Airport, which already raised some eyebrows about priorities. Instead of preserving access or heritage, a fresh plan now puts radar equipment just 30 meters off the ancient walls. Somehow, the public was told that alternative spots would be considered for the radar installation, but those studies never materialised. Instead, the project bulldozes its way through what should have been an archaeological showpiece.

• Radar installation puts precious finds at direct risk.
• Access and preservation will be nearly impossible once construction starts.
• The State promised other options, but delivered nothing credible.
• No real conservation plan exists for the site, and excavations are unfinished.
• Official presentations are misleading by framing this as “protection”, while plans show apparent neglect.

When Protests Get Buried Alongside the Ruins

On the day of the council decision, Greek archaeologists staged public protests in Heraklion’s Lion’s Square and front of the Ministry of Culture in Athens. They didn’t quietly grumble—they showed up with banners, press statements and a list of grievances. Their statement was blunt: building radar so close to the monument betrays any claim to conservation or responsible tourism. Documents shared at the meeting, lacking even basic signatures, revealed that there is still no finished conservation plan and no real alternative radar location under review.

To make matters worse, the broader region of the Pediada Valley has been recognised for years as rich in archaeological treasures. Experts stress that projects like this should only begin after thorough digs, not before. The airport construction ploughed ahead anyway, leaving key sites barely touched by proper research. Now, the radar installation will plant itself within just 30 meters of the old monument’s foundation. Any hope for proper study or public visits faces a bleak future, thanks to rushed sign-offs and a lack of concern from those meant to protect these treasures.

A Perfect Recipe for Ruining History

This radar installation isn’t just about adding another blinking eye to a new airport. It’s a public bulldozing of science, heritage and future tourism. The message from officials is that digging up roots and history gets a back seat to cables and steel. People didn’t just protest for fun—they spelt out all the ways this choice locks history behind concrete and fences, feeds short-term convenience and turns Papoura Hill into one more stop on the way to baggage claim.