Acropolis of Athens

The word "Acro-polis" means "city by the edge." Towering over the capital, the Acropolis is an impressive sight that draws tourists from all around the world to witness the greatness of the ancient Greeks. Within the Acropolis, the Parthenon, dedicated by the Athenians to Athena Parthenos, the patron of their city, is the most magnificent creation of Athenian democracy at the height of its power. It is also the finest monument on the Acropolis in terms of both conception and execution. Built between 447 and 438 BC as part of the great Periklean building project, it began after the victory at the Battle of Marathon. The Parthenon was designed by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, while the sculptor Pheidias supervised the entire building program and conceived the temple's sculptural decoration and the chryselephantine statue of Athena. You will also have the opportunity to admire other important monuments such as the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Erechtheion with its Porch of the Maidens.

Nearby the Acropolis, you can visit the Ancient Agora, which lies on the northwestern slopes of the Acropolis. Learn more about this former artistic, spiritual, and commercial center. Just north of the Acropolis, explore the site of the Roman Agora, which was once the focus of public life in Athens. You can also enjoy access to the renowned Hadrian's Library and the Temple of Olympian Zeus in the Olympion Site, as well as Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery that stretches to the banks of the Eridanos River and the nearby Lyceum.