Athens, the southernmost capital on the European mainland, is one of the world's oldest cities, with its recorded history spanning over 3,400 years. According to Greek mythology the city was named after Athena, the ancient Greek goddess of wisdom. Classical Athens was one of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. It was a centre for democracy, the arts, education and philosophy, and was highly influential throughout the European continent, particularly in Ancient Rome. For this reason it is often regarded as the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy.


The acropolis is located on a flat rock that rises 150 m above sea level and covers an area of around 3 hectares. It has probably been inhabited since the 6th millennium BC.

In Mycenaean times, it was the seat of the king from the 14th century BC. A defensive wall was later built in the 13th century BC, which also included access to a spring to maintain the water supply in the event of a siege. Later, in democratic Athens, it was extended as a temple precinct and lost its defensive function. After the victory over the Persians, Athens became the center of the Hellenic world from 448 BC under Pericles as the supreme power of the Attic League. This power and the wealth associated with it were also to be demonstrated through buildings. The Acropolis was completely redesigned by the master builders Iktinos, Mnesikles and Kallikrates under the direction of the ingenious sculptor Phidias.


The Propylaia (= "gates"), built between 437 and 432 BC, functioned as the monumental gateway to the Acropolis.

As early as the end of the 6th century BC, the first gate system was constructed to provide access through the Mycenaean fortress walls. The structure was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC.

The changes to the Propylaea during the Classical period were minor. The most significant was the construction of a monumental staircase, probably built during the reign of Claudius. This included a central, inclined plane along which sacrificial animals could be led, as well as a small, curved staircase leading to the Temple of Athena Nike.

In its post-Classical history, the Propylaea regained a military function in the late 3rd century AD. Sometime during the early Byzantine period, the south wing was converted into a chapel. The central section of the Propylaea was converted into a church in the 10th century AD. During the Crusader occupation, the complex was converted into a fortified residence, similar in form to other castles in the Levant. Later, the Propylaea served as the ducal palace of the Florentine Acciaioli family.

Under the Ottomans, the Propylaea served as both a powder magazine and a battery emplacement, and suffered significant damage as a result. From 1834 onwards, the medieval and Turkish extensions of the Propylaea were demolished.