What Temple Stands on the Acropolis of Athens? Parthenon

Q: What temple stands on the Acropolis of Athens?

The Parthenon is the famous ancient Greek temple on the Acropolis of Athens. Built between 447 and 432 BC, during the golden age of Pericles, it was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the city’s patron goddess. It’s considered the greatest example of Classical Greek architecture.

Design secrets

The Parthenon looks perfectly straight, but it’s full of subtle curves:

The floor bulges slightly upward in the middle.
The columns lean inward a little and swell in the middle (entasis).
Corner columns are slightly thicker.

These tweaks may correct optical illusions so the building looks straight and strong from a distance.

What was inside

A huge statue of Athena Parthenos, about 12 m tall and covered in gold and ivory, stood inside, made by the sculptor Phidias. It has been lost, but copies exist. The temple was also used as a treasury.

A long and dramatic history

432 BCThe Parthenon is completed
6th century ADIt becomes a Christian church
1460sUnder Ottoman rule, it’s converted into a mosque
1687During a Venetian siege, a cannonball ignites gunpowder stored inside; the explosion destroys much of the building
1801–1812Lord Elgin removes many sculptures and takes them to Britain
1975A major restoration project begins

The Parthenon Marbles

About half of the surviving sculptures are in the British Museum in London, often called the Elgin Marbles. Greece has long asked for their return to the Acropolis Museum in Athens, which opened in 2009 with space waiting for them. The British Museum says they were legally acquired. Talks between the two sides have continued.

The Acropolis today

The Acropolis (“high city”) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited places in Greece. Other buildings there include the Erechtheion, with its famous Caryatids, and the Temple of Athena Nike.

Learn about the goddess herself: who the Greek goddess of wisdom was. For another ancient wonder, see Petra.