Must-See Historical Sites in Athens, Greece

It’s the site that rules over all others on the city’s skyline; atop a sheer-sided cliff, this ancient citadel is home to some of the most important surviving buildings of the ancient Greek civilisation. The innate defensive qualities of the Acropolis hill have allowed the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike to remain partially intact, despite the countless invasions and revolutions that have taken place in Greece since they were built.

During the classical period, this rocky outcrop, encircled by cypress trees, served as the foundation for a court called the Areopagus; its primary function was to try cases of homicide, corruption and religious matters. The council was one of the most important city-state institutions and an aristocratic judicial body, effectively making it the earliest predecessor of the higher court of modern Greece. Take the stairs up for panoramic city views.

The original ivory-and-gold statue of the goddess Athena, which was the main focal point of the Parthenon, was lost at some point after 165BCE (an account last places it in Constantinople in the 10th century). Depicted as victorious in combat and holding a shield, the sculpture was considered the best piece of work by the ancient master sculptor Phidias. It has, however, served as the blueprint for numerous replicas dating back to the Roman era – one of which makes its home in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

On the southern slope of the Acropolis hill, the Theatre of Dionysus is one of the most famous and well-preserved ancient Greek theatres. It was originally part of the sanctuary of Dionysus, the god of grape harvests and wine, as well as transformation, fertility, ecstasy and – of course – theatre. It’s believed that in its heyday, during the fourth century BCE, the theatre was able to seat an audience of up to 17,000.

The smallest temple on the top of the Acropolis was dedicated to Athena and Nike, the goddesses of warfare and victory, and ancient Athenians would come here to pray for victory over the Spartans in the Peloponnesian War. Today, the temple is most famous for its parapet friezes, part of which is a piece of beautiful wet drapery depicting Nike fixing her sandal. The version in the temple is a replica of the original, which is on display at the Acropolis Museum.