Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is a flat-topped rock which rises 512 feet above sea level in the city of Athens, Greece. During The Persian Wars, the Persian king Xerxes' troops occupied the Acropolis and sacked and burned the major temples. Most of the major temples were rebuilt under the leadership of Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens (460-430 BC). Phidias, a great Athenian sculptor, and Ictinus and Callicrates, two famous architects, were responsible for the reconstruction.

Cultural Significance of the Acropolis

Every four years the Athenians held a festival called the Panathenaea that rivalled the Olympic Games in popularity. During the festival, a procession moved through Athens up to the Acropolis and into the Parthenon (as depicted in the frieze on the inside of the Parthenon). There, a costly robe (peplos) was ceremoniously placed on Phidias' massive ivory and gold statue of Athena.

Art and Architecture Found on the Acropolis

The entrance to the Acropolis was a monumental gateway called the Propylaea. On the right and in front of the Propylaea is the Temple of Athena Nike. A large bronze statue of Athena, built by Phidias, was originally at the center. To the right of where that statue stood is the Parthenon or Temple of Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin). To the left and at the far end of the Acropolis is the Erectheum. There is also the remains of an outdoor theater called Theater of Dionysos.