The Acropolis of Athens is located in the southwest of the Attica region, surrounded by smaller hills. This rock formation is one of the most prominent elevations in the city. Its slopes are very steep, except on the western side where there is a natural slope for easy access. The upper terrace, where the main buildings are located, occupies an area 300 metres long and 150 metres wide and rises 91 metres above the level of the city.

The city of Athens was named after Athena Polias, one of the most important deities of Greek mythology. The daughter of Zeus and Metis, Athena was born in a strange way. It is said that Zeus feared that a child of Metis would dethrone him, so he devoured her while she was pregnant. Shortly after swallowing Metis, however, Zeus suffered a severe headache. Hephaestus, the god of blacksmithing, split Zeus' head open with an axe and a fully grown and armed Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategy, emerged.

The heyday of the Acropolis was in the classical period, beginning in about 480 BC after the victory over the Persians. Under the leadership of Pericles, a period of stability began that brought unification among the major cities. Significant democratic reforms took place. Significant democratic reforms were carried out and citizens were able to participate in political life. It also witnessed the flourishing of Greek art and architecture. Athens became the political and cultural capital of classical Greece.

Pericles understood the importance of preserving and rescuing the grandeur of the Acropolis, convinced that its restoration would be a symbol of Athenian power and supremacy. To represent the new heyday, he ordered the construction of a complex of buildings on the rocky hill of the Acropolis at 156 metres above sea level.

The buildings of this period shaped the architectural landscape of the Acropolis of Athens. The most prominent buildings and monuments constructed on the Acropolis are the Propylaea, a monumental entrance that served as a checkpoint for access to the Acropolis, the Parthenon, the most iconic building on the Acropolis dedicated to the goddess Athena, and the Erechtheion with its elegant portico of the Caryatids.

The Acropolis occupies a large terrace on the top of a peak above the Attic plain. The hill was converted into a large horizontal platform on which the citadel buildings were spread. Access to the Acropolis is on the western flank, the only place where the slope is gentler. Access is via a succession of ramps that zigzag up the hill, offering partial views of the Acropolis.

The peace and prosperity of the Classical period were affected by internal conflicts between the Greek city-states and, finally, by the Peloponnesian War, a protracted conflict between Athens and Sparta that weakened Greece. The Classical era came to an end with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, marking the beginning of the Hellenistic era.

During the Hellenistic period, the Acropolis underwent transformations. Although it continued to be an important cultural and religious centre, there were influences and developments that affected its appearance and use. During the Macedonian occupation of Athens after the death of Alexander the Great, reconstruction and renovation work was carried out on the Acropolis. In particular, the Parthenon was damaged and restored at this time.

New monuments and buildings were constructed on the Acropolis during the Hellenistic period, such as the Tower of the Winds, a water clock and meteorological tower, and the Agora of Athens was expanded to include new structures.

Greek culture had spread widely due to the expansion of Alexander the Great's empire, and the Acropolis continued to be an important centre of Greek culture, and the influence of classical Greek architectural traditions persisted. During the period of the Roman Empire, monuments and structures were added to the Acropolis. One example is the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a marble theatre that was built on the southern slope of the Acropolis during the 2nd century A.D. It was to be used for theatrical and musical performances.

Despite their respect for Greek culture, the Romans also left their mark on the Acropolis. Latin inscriptions and other signs of Roman presence can be found on the Acropolis.

Marcelo Gardinetti