The crowning glory of the Acropolis, indeed of Athens herself, the Parthenon Temple has survived the ages to give humanity its greatest glimpse at the life of the ancient Greeks.Central to the Acropolis complex, there’s no missing this grandest of its temples.
Dedicated to the patron saint and namesake of Athens, the goddess Athena, the Parthenon was the ancient Greeks’ most important place of worship. An older version having been destroyed during the Persian invasion in 480 B.C., this iteration of the Parthenon began construction in 447 B.C. The Doric columns and sheer size of this temple display the Athenian Empire at its height. Few sculptures and other antiquities stand on-site, but visitors can see many of these at the Acropolis Museum just down the street.
The nearest Metro station is Akropoli, on the red M2 line, and the hilltop temple is impossible to miss. Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen are a must for a visit to the Parthenon. Visitors can purchase a single-entry ticket for the Acropolis, or a combined ticket for several of Athens’ ancient ruins.
Restoration and preservation efforts at the Parthenon didn’t begin until 1975. Work today is ongoing as architects and archaeologists discover how past reconstructive work misrepresented and even damaged the original Parthenon. Cranes and computer models aid the fight to keep the Parthenon at its best.