Ancient Greek Temples in Greece
As the center of ancient Greek world, Greece naturally has the highest concentration of ancient Greek temples you'll see anywhere. Following are some of the most famous, listed in alphabetical order by city or island. See also our world index of Greek temples.
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Erechtheion Temple, Athens The Erechtheion Temple, on the Acropolis near the Parthenon, is famous for its Carytid Porch. The ancient Athenians honored this as the tomb of Erechtheus, a legendary king of Athens. It also stands on the site of a divine battle between Poseidon and Athena over who the city would be named after. |
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Parthenon, Athens The most famous Greek temple in the world today, the Parthenon was built on Athens' Acropolis in honor of the city's patron, the goddess Athena. |
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Temple of Athena Nike, Athens An elegant and beautifully proportioned little Ionic temple built in 424 BC. |
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Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens Completed by Hadrian after centuries of construction, this was one of the largest temples in the ancient world. |
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Temple of Poseidon, Athens Located on a dramatic site overlooking the Aegean Sea, the Temple of Poseidon was constructed in 444 BC on a site that had been sacred since at least the 7th century BC. |
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Temple of Apollo Epicurius, Bassae This large and well-preserved temple was built in the Arcadian mountains in the 5th century BC by the same architect who designed the Parthenon. It had the oldest Corinthian capital ever found and remains notable for its unusual combination of the Corinthian, Ionic and Doric styles. |
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Temple of Pythian Apollo, Gortyna, Crete This temple is mostly in ruins, but the rectangular outline of the sanctuary and most of the altar can be seen. |
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Delos Archaeological Site, Delos A well-preserved floor mosaic is the highlight of this temple ruin on the island of Delos. |
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Temple of Apollo, Delphi The focus of Delphi, both in ancient times and today, is the Temple of Apollo, dating from the 4th century BC. The famous Oracle of Delphi, consulted by Greek citizens and kings from far and near. The exterior was decorated with shields captured from the Persians at Plataea. |
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Tholos, Delphi A round structure ringed by 20 slender Doric columns, the Tholos was built in the early 4th century BC by Theodorus. After its completion he proudly wrote a treatise on its construction. The interior featured 10 Corinthian half-columns. The purpose of this elegant little building is not known for certain; it may have housed an important statue. |
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Portara, Naxos The Portara is an entrance to an unfinished Temple of Apollo that faces exactly toward Delos, Apollo's birthplace. It was begun about 530 BC by the tyrant Lygdamis, who was overthrown in 506 BC. The unfinished temple was converted into a church in the 5th or 6th century. |
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Temple of Demeter, Naxos Until recently, this 6th-century BC temple was in a state of complete ruin. But after it was discovered that most of its parts were onsite, it has been lovingly restored by German archaeologists. |
