These Photographs of the Parthenon Covered by a Rare Snowstorm Like a Magical Ancient Wedding Cake Are Going Viral

Best known for its ancient architecture and balmy clime, the city of Athens, Greece is currently blanketed in inches of snow, with temperatures dipping into the negative digits. The city has not seen this much snow in a decade—and it’s all happening in the midst of another two-week lockdown.

A rare sight of the snow-covered Acropolis. Photo: © Stavros Petropoulos_Alaska For Onassis Foundation.

With schools closed, local children took to the streets for impromptu snowball fights while photographers captured the unusual view of the city’s ancient monuments, including the Parthenon and the Acropolis, in a winter wonderland.

See more images of the blanketed city below.

The Parthenon temple atop the Athenian Acropolis hill is pictured during heavy snowfalls in Athens on February 16, 2021. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The popular tourist area of Plaka in the snow. (Photograph: Miloš Bičanski/Getty Images)

A member of the presidential guard stands outside the Greek parliament during a snowstorm. (Photo by Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images)

People take photos during a snowstorm on the Areopagus next to the Acropolis. (Photo by Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images)

ATHENS, GREECE – FEBRUARY 16: The Academy Of Athens monument of ancient greek philosopher Socrates (R) and Plathonos (L) is covered by snow. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

A man walks past Roman Agora during heavy snowfall over Athens, on February 16, 2021. (Photo by LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

An aerial photograph the ancient Acropolis is covered by snow. (Photo by ANTONIS NIKOLOPOULOS/Eurokinissi/AFP via Getty Images)

A statue of Thodoros Kolokotronis covered by snow after a heavy snowfall on February 16, 2021. (Photo by Konstantinos Zilos/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Snow falls on the ancient Agora during a snowstorm. (Photo by Socrates Baltagiannis/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The hill of Lycabettus as people are seen on the top. (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

A snowman is pictured in front of the Parthenon temple atop the Athenian Acropolis hill during heavy snowfalls in Athens on February 16, 2021. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS / AFP) (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images)