What is the Acropolis?

What is the Acropolis?
Photo by Spencer Davis / Unsplash

The Acropolis is a tall, rocky hill in the center of Athens. On top, you’ll find very old buildings from ancient Greece — over 2,400 years old!

The word Acropolis means “high city” in Greek. A long time ago, people built temples and other buildings up there to stay safe and to be closer to the gods.


🌟 The Most Famous Building: The Parthenon

The biggest and most famous building on the Acropolis is the Parthenon.
It was built to honor Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. She was also the protector of Athens.

The Parthenon is made of marble and has tall columns. Even though it’s partly broken now, it’s still one of the most famous buildings in the world.


🏺 Other Places You Can See There

Besides the Parthenon, you can also visit:

  • Erechtheion – another temple with cool statues of women (called Caryatids) holding the roof
  • Temple of Athena Nike – a small temple for victory
  • Propylaea – the giant stone gate that leads into the Acropolis
  • Plus: amazing views of the whole city of Athens!

Subscribe to Athens FAQ

Don’t miss out on the latest issues. Sign up now to get access to the library of members-only issues.
jamie@example.com
Subscribe