The Athenian Acropolis is a hill overlooking the city, and it once served as the religious and financial center of ancient Athens. Besides the Parthenon, some of the buildings that have survived to modern times are Athena Nike (an Ionic temple built during the Peloponnesian War), the Propylaea and the Erechtheion.
The ancient Greeks built the Parthenon after another temple, which archeologists today call the "Pre-Parthenon," was destroyed by Persians in 480 BC. The Greeks began construction on the current Parthenon in 447 BC. The Athenian empire was then at the height of its powers and dedicated the Parthenon to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens.
The Parthenon is a Doric temple with some elements of the Ionic architectural order. It was designed by two architects, Iktinos and Kallikrates, and was intended to be the focal point of the Acropolis. It is considered one of the most important ancient buildings to have survived into modern times, and is an enduring symbol of ancient Greek culture.
Originally, the Parthenon housed the gold and ivory statue of Athena. It also served as a treasury. In the 5th century AD it was turned into a Christian church, and in the 15th century the Ottomans turned it into a mosque. Many of the Parthenon's original sculptures were removed to the British Museum.
