Athens Acropolis

Most of the buildings now gracing the Acropolis were commissioned by Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BC.

The Propylaia, is the monumental gate that was the entrance during the ancient times. It was damaged by Venetian bombing in the 17th century, but has since been restored. To the south of the propylaia is the small, graceful Temple of Athena Nike, which is not accessible to visitors.

Standing supreme over the Acropolis is the monument which more than any other epitomizes the glory of ancient Greece, the Parthenon. Completed in 438 BC this building is unsurpassed in grace and harmony. Above the columns of the monument are the remains of a Doric frieze which was partly destroyed in 1687. The best surviving pieces are the famous Elgin Marbles, carted off by Lord Elgin in 1801 and now in the British Museum.

The Parthenon, dedicated to Athena, contained an 11m tall gold and ivory statue of the goddess completed in 438 BC by the sculptor Phidias of Athens. Only the statue's foundations remain today.

To the north is the Erechtheion with its much-photographed Caryatids, the six maidens who support its southern portico. These are copies - the originals (except for one taken by Lord Elgin) are in the site's museum. The Erechtheion was dedicated to Athena and Poseidon and supposedly built on the spot where they competed for possession of ancient Athens. The Acropolis Museum has sculptures from the temples.

For more information regarding the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and more visit Acropolis Greek Parthenon