LIFESTYLE

Greece says no to Gucci fashion show at Acropolis

The Associated Press Published Wednesday, February 15, 2017 11:18AM EST Last Updated Wednesday, July 26, 2017 10:22AM EDT

The Parthenon temple is seen atop of the snow-covered Acropolis hill in Athens, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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ATHENS, Greece -- Greece's culture ministry has rejected a request by Italian luxury brand Gucci to use the ancient Acropolis for a fashion event this summer.

Culture Minister Lydia Koniordou told state television a panel of ministry experts turned down the request late Tuesday, adding she was in "total agreement."

The Acropolis is listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations cultural organization, Unesco.

Koniordou said: "We have a duty to defend the importance of (the Acropolis) ... a global symbol of democracy and freedom."

Requests for commercial use of ancient monuments in Greece are rarely approved.

American singer Jennifer Lopez was granted access to the Acropolis for a 2008 photo shoot. The site also featured in the 2014 film "The Two Faces of January" starring Viggo Mortensen and Kirsten Dunst.