The Acropolis of Athens, Greece.

South view of the Parthenon.

The temple of Parthenon was dedicated to goddess Athena, protector of the Ancient city of Athens। Parthenon is one of the most famous buildings in the world। Its unique architecture inspired the architectural style of the western world। It was built in 438 BC during the Golden Era of Athens under Pericles administration by the architects Iktinos and Kalikrates. The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece and of Athenian democracy and one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. This temple replaced an earlier temple in the same location, built before the Persian War and destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. While much of the structure remains intact, the Parthenon has suffered considerable damage over the centuries.

The Caryatids (Karyatides) from the south porch of the Erechtheion.

The Erechtheion is a complex marble building in the Ionic order. The name ''Erechtheion'' derives from Erechtheus, the mythical king of Athens, who was worshipped there. The area around the Erechtheion was considered the most sacred of the Acropolis.
The roof was supported by six statues of maidens known as the Caryatids, instead of the typical columns. A building inscription of the Erechtheion refers to the Caryatids simply as Korai (maidens), while the name Caryatids was assigned at a later time. The second Korai from the western section was removed by Lord Elgin in 1801 and is today located in the British Museum. Several interpretations about the Caryatids have been put forth. The most convincing one supports the view that they constituted the visible portion of the grave of the first King of Athens, Kekrops and were the libation bearers (choephoroi) who paid tribute to the glorious dead.

Ο ναός της Αθηνάς Νίκης (ή Απτέρου Νίκης).


The temple of Athena Nike stands at the southeast edge of the sacred rock atop a bastion, which in Mycenaean times protected the entrance (Propylaea) to the Acropolis. The Classical temple, designed by architect Kallikrates and built in 426-421 BC, succeeded earlier temples also dedicated to Athena Nike. The first one of these, a wooden temple was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC.
Nike means "victory" in Greek, and Athena was worshiped in this form, as goddess of victory in war. The temple was an expression of Athens' ambition to be the leading city state in Greece and the Mediterranean. There the citizens worshipped the goddess in hope of a prosperous outcome in the long war fought on land and sea against the Spartans and their allies. Ancient writer Pausanias refers to this temple as that of the Apteros Nike (Wingless Victory) and mentions that the cult statue of the goddess had no wings so that she would never leave Athens.

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