encountered a particularly stubborn block of mortar through which their tools could not penetrate. Beulé secured a batch of explosives from sailors of the , a fleet of the French Navy tasked with patrolling the Aegean Sea, and used them to blast through the block. Contemporary archaeologists criticised his actions, as did the Greek newspapers, one of which had previously accused Beulé of wanting to blow up everything on the Acropolis. Pittakis, who had been watching the operation, was almost struck by a fragment of the debris which pierced his hat: reports circulated in the aftermath that he had been killed. By 31 March, the two towers had been fully revealed, followed by the gateway itself on 1 April. Beulé fixed a commemorative stone to the gate, inscribed in Ancient Greek and reading: The discovery of the gate prompted scholarly celebration in France, and was reported with enthusiasm in the French press. Jean Baelan has written that it turned Beulé into "the standard-bearer for national honour in the field of archaeology." In recognition of Beulé's discovery, the Académie Française made the Acropolis of Athens the topic for its Grand Prize for Poetry () in 1853, which was won by Louise Colet. After its excavation, the Beulé Gate resumed its original function as a monumental gateway for the Acropolis. In the 1960s, the main entrance was moved to the south-east side, leaving the Beulé Gate as primarily an exit. Gallery Footnotes Explanatory notes References Further reading Bibliography Acropolis of Athens 1852 archaeological discoveries Gates in Greece