While it is not the only acropolis,
the Athens Acropolis is the most
famous. An "acropolis" is the
central district of an ancient Greek
city, similar to the "downtown"
area of modern cities. The
acropolis contains civic and
religious buildings, usually located
on a hill or other easily defended
site. The most famous Acropolis,
in Athens, was built around
450 B.C. under the direction of the
statesman Pericles. It was dedica-
ted to Athena, the patron goddess
of the city. Most of the structures
in the Athens Acropolis lie in
ruins. However, several still stand
including: the Propylaea, the gate-
way to the sacred section of the
Acropolis; the Parthenon, the main
shrine of Athena; the Erechtheum,
a shrine to gods of the field; and
the Temple of Athena Nike, which
is symbolic of the harmony of the
state of Athens.
