Must-Visit Ancient Greek Temples: Uncover History's Marvels

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Ancient Greek temples played a significant role in Greek religious life and the social, cultural and political landscape of this ancient empire. From the Greece Temple of Athena to the world-famous Temple of Zeus, these Greek temples served as houses of the gods and goddesses where religious activities like sacrifices, offerings and prayers were held. 

On a Greek temple tour, visitors can discover the sanctity of these sacred places and understand the customs and traditions of the ancient Greeks. Visitors can also marvel at the stunning architecture and engineering feats that exemplify the principles of symmetry, proportion and harmony that are part of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. 

As some of Greece’s best places to visit and explore, you’ll enjoy a truly immersive experience that’s both educational and exciting. Review our list of the best temples in Greece to see which ones you’d like to explore.

Here Are the Top 10 Most Famous Greek Temples to Visit 

1. Parthenon, Athens

On top of Acropolis Hill, the city center of ancient Athens, lies a very famous Greek temple called the Parthenon that is dedicated to Athena the patron goddess. The Parthenon is one of the most famous and popular tourist attractions in Greece. Work on the Parthenon began in 447 BC, and work was completed in 432 BC. The Parthenon was built to house the massive statue of Athena Parthenos, which was looted in the 5th century and then destroyed. Over thousands of years, the Parthenon has been used as a mosque, a church, and a fortress.

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2. Temple of Athena Nike, Athens 

The temple of Athena Nike (Athena as a goddess of victory) is the smallest Greek temple to visit at the Acropolis in Athens, completed in the year 420 BC. The Greek Temple of Athena is made from white marble and has four columns at the front and back.

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3. Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounion, Olympia

To explore the Greek temple Poseidon, visitors need to travel 37 miles south of Athens on the tip of the Attica Peninsula in Greece, surrounded on three sides by the sea. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the sea and storms. This temple in Greece was built in 444 BC, and only some of its columns stand today, but it’s a great place to watch the sunset through the ancient pillars. 

4. Temple of Olympia Zeus, Greece

The Temple of Zeus can be found within the archaeological site of Olympia. It took 13 years to build until it was completed in 457 BC.  This temple in Greece of Zeus is a hexastyle building made of limestone and is covered with stucco. The sculptures inside the temple were made of marble, the most famous being the statue of Zeus, considered to be one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World. Sadly, the temple and the statue of Zeus were destroyed by an earthquake, but the temple is still a site to behold. There are only a few columns remaining of the Temple of Olympia Zeus, but it’s clear that at one time, it was a huge temple in Greece. 

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5. Temple of Apollo, Greece 

Visitors get to the sacred Temple of Apollo via a sacred path lined with monuments. It was first built around the 7th century BC and rebuilt after a fire in the 6th century BC. The Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in Greece, and people came from all over Greece to have their questions about the future answered by the priestess of Apollo, Pythia. This temple sits centrally among a large number of ruins on the southern slopes of Parnassos mountain. 

6. Temple of Zeus at Cyrene, Libya

High up from the rest of the city is the Temple of Zeus, Cyrene, dating back to the 5th century BC. Cyrene was the most important of the five Greek colonies in present-day Libya, but was destroyed during a Jewish rebellion in 115 AD. In 365 AD an earthquake destroyed the temple and it was not rebuilt until modern times by British and Italian archaeologists. 

However, the Temple of Zeus at Cyrene is a premier example of Doric order architecture, with a peripteral design that boasts a single row of columns surrounding the entire structure. This creates a strong visual impression and also allows for a walkway around the inner chamber, or cella. While a majority of this Greek temple has not survived, it would have featured metopes and pediments that featured reliefs depicting mythological scenes associated with Zeus. This temple played a significant role in the religious life of Cyrene, and the grandeur reflected the wealth and power of this ancient city. Like many of the ancient Greek Temples, excavations of the Temple of Zeus at Cyrene offered insights into Cyrene’s urban planning and religious practices and its impact on local cultures.

7. Temple of Erechtheum, Athens

On the north side of the Acropolis in Athens lies the temple Erechtheum built between 421 and 407 BC. This famous Greek temple’s most interesting feature is the porch supported by six female statues known as Caryatids.

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8. Doric Temple of Segesta, Sicily 

Long ago, Segesta was one of the main cities of the Elymian indigenous people of Sicily. Segesta consisted of Elymian and Greek people. There is a well-preserved Doric Greek temple to visit located outside the ancient site, built in the late 5th century BC. Many believe that the temple was never completed because the Doric columns were never fluted and there wasn’t a roof built over the main chamber in the temple. 

9. Paestum, Italy 

The ruins of Paestum are notable for their three ancient Greek Doric temples located in southern Italy, which are in a very good state of preservation. The Temple of Hera is the oldest Greek temple to visit in Paestum, built around 550 BC by Greek colonists. The temples of Neptune and Hera are located next to each other at the southern end of the site, while the smaller Temple of Ceres is at the northern end. 

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10. The Temple of Hephaestus 

Located northwest of the famous Greek temple, Acropolis, The Temple of Hephaestus is the best-preserved Greek temple in the world. Built in the 5th century BC in a district of metalwork shops, the Temple of Hephaestus was built and dedicated to Hephaestos, the god of metalworking. The Temple of Hephaestus was designed by Ictinus, the same architect that worked on the Parthenon.

11. Temple of Hera

One of the most beautiful ancient Greek temples is the Temple of Hera, dedicated to the queen of the Greek gods. Located in Olympia on the grounds of the original Olympic Games, the Temple of Hera was built in the Doric style with sturdy columns that have rounded capitals with no base. On a Greek temple tour of the Temple of Hera, you’ll learn about the significance of this major worship center and the rituals and religious ceremonies held here during the ancient Olympic Games. The temple’s altar is where the flame of the Olympic torch is lit today, showcasing the importance of this ceremonial site in modern times.

Architectural and Artistic Elements

Greek temples are renowned for their architectural elements influencing modern design and art today. On adventures in Greece, you can discover the fine attention to detail ancient sculptors and builders had when constructing these important religious and cultural sites. Below, we’ll explore some of the key features of notable ancient Greek temples that make them stand out as architectural and artistic wonders:

• The Parthenon: Built in the Doric order, the Parthenon in Athens is characterized by sturdy, fluted columns with simple, rounded capitals and no bases. The Parthenon exemplifies the Greek ideals of proportion and symmetry, with columns that exhibit a slight entasis, or bulge, to counteract the optical illusion of concavity that straight and narrow columns often produce. When it comes to the Parthenon’s artistic elements, visitors will notice the intricate sculptural design of Phidias and his workshop. The Metopes are high-relief sculptures depicting mythological battles, such as the Centauromachy, while the low-relief frieze depicts the Panathenaic procession, a religious festival honoring Athena.
• Temple of Apollo at Delphi: While primarily Doric, the Temple of Apollo also features ionic elements, particularly in its inner sanctuary. On a Greek temple tour of the Temple of Apollo, visitors will notice how the temple integrates into the natural landscape with its terrace construction, which enhances its dramatic effect. The temple is also oriented east-west, aligning with the rise and fall of the sun, which alludes to Apollo’s association with light and prophecy. The pediments and metopes feature scenes of Greek mythology, such as the exploits of Apollo, and this temple is also famous for housing the oracle of Delphi, where the Pythia delivered prophecies.
• Temple of Athena Nike: One of the best temples in Greece, the Temple of Athena Nike is known for its elegant proportions and delicate details in the Ionic order. Although one of the smaller Greek temples, the Temple of Athena Nike is renowned for its artistic elements, such as the frieze depicting scenes of victory and battle that celebrate Athena’s military success. The temple is also surrounded by a parapet decorated with reliefs of Nike, the goddess of victory, in various poses.

Overall, these temples in Greece showcase the development of Greek architectural orders, such as Doric and Ionic, and the Greek’s mastery of proportion, symmetry and decorative arts. If you’re considering traveling to Europe, adding Greece to your itinerary will allow you to discover these architectural and artistic elements yourself. Not only were these Greek temples known for their architecture, but also their significance as civic pride and artistic achievements, adorned with sculptures and reliefs that depicted mythological and historical themes.

Book Your Adventure to Greece Today

At Road Scholar, we offer a wide range of experiential learning programs, including Greek adventures that take you to the ancient Greek temples, which served as places of religious worship and community engagement. On a Greek temple tour, you’ll follow the steps of local expert guides who will provide keen insights into the history and significance of each temple so you can better understand the importance these temples played in the culture and traditions of ancient Greeks.

Whether you’re looking for the best islands to visit in Greece or the best temples in Greece to explore, we have you covered. Become a Road Scholar today through one of our Greek educational tours that will allow you to check out the amazing history of ancient civilizations that came before us.