Temple of Athena Nike

Welcome to the majestic western entrance of the Athenian Acropolis. It is an absolute privilege to guide you through this sacred sanctuary of ancient human heritage. …

The massive vertical stone wall of the Mycenaean bastion supporting the Temple of Athena Nike holds the astonishing historical fact that ancient Athenians carved at least fifty one pairs of deep attachment sockets across its…

Did you know that the Ionic columns of the Temple of Athena Nike were intentionally designed with an unusually stocky proportion of one to seven point eighty two which is far thicker and heavier than standard Classical Ionic…

Did you know that the central sculpture crowning the roof of the temple was a massive gilded bronze figure measuring between one point two and one point seven meters in height and that detailed records of the gold recovered from…

Did you know that ancient Athenian architects installed sharp iron spikes called obeloi in a ring around roof statues to prevent birds from roosting and defecating on the gilded monuments. Please look closely at the northeast…

Did you know that the long held theory claiming the central roof of this temple featured the mythical hero Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasos to fight the Chimaira has been completely rejected by modern archaeological…

As we conclude our tour please take a moment to stand at the southwestern edge of the bastion and take in the magnificent panoramic view stretching across the city of Athens toward the sparkling blue waters of the Saronic Gulf.…