The Temple of Athena Nike is a small but beautiful Ionic-style temple located on the Acropolis of Athens. It was built around 420 BC and is considered the earliest fully Ionic temple on the Acropolis. Designed by architect Kallikrates, it replaced older temples whose remains are preserved inside the bastion.
The temple features gorgeous sculptural decoration, including a typical continuous Ionic frieze with different thematic representations on each side. The sculpture on the southern wall shows a battle between Greeks and Persians, while other sides depict battles between Greeks and other warriors. The goddess Nike, known as Victory” in Greek mythology, is represented adjusting her sandal in a sculpture from the south side of the parapet.
Located on the brink of a steep cliff in the southwest corner of the Acropolis, this ancient structure had a relief-carved frieze with intricate designs carved into its four sides. Although originally intended to house an image of Athena Nike, an archaic wooden statue depicted wearing wings yet holding no wings was uncovered during excavations found buried underneath Kallikrates’ foundations; historians speculate that she had been hidden away by pious Athenians during attempts to purify their religion.
The Temple Of Athena Nike represents Greek art most notably through its sculptural decoration and architectural style that reflects elegance while also boasting functionality. Its design inspired other architects for decades after being built and still remains one of Greece’s most iconic landmarks today.
