The Parthenon, located on the Acropolis in Athens, is the most famous temple of Ancient Greece. It was constructed in honor of the goddess Athena. The Parthenon was created in the Doric architectural style. It featured 46 exterior columns that were 6 feet wide and 34 feet tall. In addition, there were four entrances with sculpted pediments depicting Athena in various forms of protection. Inside the building there were no walls so the area inside was open to the sky where the sculptures could be seen.
Other prominent Greek temples include those at Aegina, Ephesus, Olympia, Delphi, and Sicyon.
For many years scholars believed that Greek temples were only built north of Athens because they didn't have enough timber south of the city. However, recent discoveries have shown that southern Greece had a large number of trees suitable for building purposes. So, despite the fact that many temples in northern Greece were burned down during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.), they were soon rebuilt using materials from elsewhere in Greece.
Also, some scholars believe that Egyptian models were used by Greek architects when designing new temples. Since Egypt and Greece were allies back then, it makes sense that Egyptian architects would have helped out with some of the work. But since none of the original buildings have been found nor any drawings surviving from that time, this theory cannot be proven or disproven definitively.
Many notable ancient temples may be found in Greece and other nations that were formerly part of the ancient Greek empire, such as Italy. The Parthenon, which stands atop the Acropolis, is dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom and patroness of Athens. It was built at the end of the 5th century BC and remains one of the most important cultural monuments in existence.
Other famous temples include those at Ephesus, Olympia, Delphi, and Metapontum. The latter two are preserved only as ruins today; however, many parts of them were able to be excavated by archaeologists.
The best way to see these sites is with a tour guide, but there are also a few things you can do on your own. For example, you can walk up the path to the Acropolis museum and look around for several hours for free. There are also some nice trails leading from town with various viewpoints where you can see some of the sites without having to pay to enter them.
In addition, some cities have annual festivals celebrating their history or mythology. These often include re-enactments of battles or rituals performed by priests over hundreds of years ago. People love to watch this stuff!
Last but not least, don't forget about the local museums.
Parthenon The Parthenon is a temple that tops the Acropolis hill in Athens. It was dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos in the mid-5th century BC ("Athena the Virgin"). The word "parthenon" is derived from parthe, meaning virgin.
Built by Athenian architects Ictinus and Callicrates, it was originally covered in ivory tesserae (composed of fragments of broken pots) painted red, black, and white. Later replacements included marble from Phrygia and Pentelicon in Asia Minor. The original structure was burned down in 480 BC during the invasion of Greece by the military leader Xerxes. After this disaster, Athens did not rebuild the site until the 4th century BC, when the architects Pericles and his team started work on the new structure you see today.
The design of the Parthenon shows remarkable similarity to another building on the Acropolis: the Erechtheion. Some scholars believe that they were built by the same architect. However, others think they were separate structures designed at different times.
In addition to being one of the most important architectural works of its time, the Parthenon is also notable for its sculpture: there are many portraits of Athena on the exterior walls and on the pediments above the doors.
The Parthenon is a magnificent marble temple erected during the height of the Greek Empire between 447 and 432 B.C. The Parthenon, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, stands high atop the Acropolis of Athens, a complex of temples. The building is in two stories with a total length of 44 meters (144 feet) and a width of 17 meters (55 feet). It is crowned with an octagonal drum and has four columns at each corner, made of Pentelic marble. The central axis consists of a large doorway framed by ionic columns on either side. Inside, the temple is illuminated by 25 windows that let in plenty of light.
Athens was the most important city-state in Greece and also one of the largest, having an estimated population of about 150,000 people in 431 B.C. The city was founded around 1100 B.C. by colonists from Eleusis in Central Greece. It was originally called "Athina" after its founder, but it soon became clear that this was a name already taken by another city so the name was changed to Athens which means "eldest".
The original inhabitants of the land where Athens now stands were the ancient Acropolitans who were driven out by the Dorians who came from north-western Greece.
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