The show-stopping Acropolis (upper city) dominates both the city’s skyline and any tourist’s itinerary. Athens’ original settlement was founded on this rocky outcrop and it has seen modifications through the millennia. The site includes four sacred buildings, all from the Golden Age of Pericles (461-429BC). The steep ascent to the summit leads to the Propylaea, a monumental entrance to the site in Ionic and Doric styles. The Temple of Athena Nike is to the left of the Propylaea; the original was damaged by Turkish forces in the 17th century but has been beautifully restored. The Parthenon is the largest building on the Acropolis and an icon of Western civilisation. Built entirely from marble, it was intended as a sanctuary for the goddess Athena and housed a massive statue of her, long since lost to history. Despite the tourists, the perfect harmony of the structure is still awe-inspiring.
