Temple of Athena Nike

Temple of Athena Nike

Introduction The Temple of Athena Nike, also known as the Temple of Wingless Victory, is situated on a steep, westward-projecting platform atop the Acropolis in the center of Athens. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, craft, and war in Greek mythology, won a contest of wits against Poseidon, the god of the sea, and became the patron deity of Athens. The temple is 18 feet long and 12 feet wide, constructed entirely from marble quarried around Athens.

The inner sanctuary is square-shaped, with an Ionic portico featuring four columns at each end. The exterior of the structure is surrounded by a 18-foot-wide frieze adorned with high-relief carvings. The south side of the temple features a relief depicting the goddess Nike holding a shield, flanked by statues of other deities. The temple has suffered damage through various wars, and today only a few 11-meter-high columns remain.

Athens, Greece