Best Architectural Monuments to See in Greece

Many of us might be aware of the architectural marvels of ancient Greek. Their incredible infrastructures have paved their way through history, which is still apparent today. Today, we can several architectural monuments built by Greek, showcasing their fascinating design. Their style is easily noticeable, mainly because of the neoclassical look that usually comes in the structure.

Furthermore, this design is not only found in Greece; many other countries adopted this architectural style. Interestingly, Greece is known to have built several monuments that showcase a bit of the country’s history and tradition. In this article, we are going to look into the list of best architectural monuments found in Greece.

Temple of Hera

From the name itself, the Temple of Hera is an ancient Greek temple located at Olympia dedicated to the queen of Greek gods: Hera. It is among the most famous monuments in Greece, mainly because it is also the oldest. This temple was originally built both for Hera and Zeus. However, after a separate temple was created for Zeus, the Temple of Hera was then recognized solely for her. We can trace back the origins of the temple to 590 BC, wherein it was dedicated by the Triphylian people. Despite the Temple of Hera’s greatness, it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th century. Thankfully, a restoration process was already done to bring the monument back to its former glory.

Parthenon

Parthenon

Parthenon is probably one of the most famous Greek monuments in our world today. This temple was built on top of Athens, which was dedicated to their patron: the goddess Athena. Similar to the Temple of Hera, the Parthenon was built several years ago. We can trace back its origins to 447 BC, wherein its construction began and was finished in 438 BC. Today, the Parthenon is considered one of the most significant and surviving classical Greek structures. This ancient temple greatly displays Greece’s history and power over the years. In addition to this, the Parthenon is also known for being the world’s greatest cultural monument.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

Besides the Parthenon, there is another temple built in Athens that is globally recognized for its classical design and fascinating history. This ancient structure is no other than the Temple of Olympian Zeus. This temple is also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, showcasing its architectural marvel dedicated to the “Olympian” Zeus. Interestingly, its construction dated back to the 6th century BC and was completed more than six hundred years later. Because of its massive size and incredible design, the temple was known as the largest temple in Greece during the 2nd century AD, wherein it is also home to one of the largest cult statues in the world.

Acropolis

The Acropolis of Athens, commonly known as the Acropolis, is another architectural masterpiece of ancient Greece. From the name itself, the Acropolis is an ancient citadel located above the city of Athens. The citadel consists of several ancient buildings, showcasing their land’s fascinating history. One of the most famous monuments located in the Acropolis is the Parthenon. Despite the word “acropolis” pertains to many other citadels in Greece, the Acropolis of Athens remains to be one of the most significant of all, making it known as “The Acropolis.” However, the greatness of the Acropolis came to an end after it was heavily damaged in the late 17th century.

Ancient Theatre Epidaurus

From the name itself, the Ancient Theatre Epidaurus is a classical theatre located in Epidaurus, Greece. This ancient theatre was built in dedication to the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius. The theatre showcases an attractive design. Despite being an old structure, it is known for its incredible architectural style, which is still preserved today. The theatre was established in the late 4th century BC, wherein it was capable of accommodating more than thirteen thousand spectators. In addition to this, its design is considered to be perfect when it comes to acoustics and aesthetics.