acropolis

Citadel of an ancient Greek town. The Acropolis of Athens contains the ruins of the Parthenon and surrounding complexes, built there during the days of the Athenian empire. The term is also used for analogous structures.

The Acropolis of Athens stands on a rock about 45 m/150 ft high, 350 m/1,150 ft long, and 150 m/500 ft broad. The first kings of Athens built their palace here, and a temple of Athene, the Hecatompedon, existed before the Persian invasion. The later edifices were the Parthenon, the Propylaea, designed by Mnesicles in 437 BC, a temple of Nike Apteros, the Erechtheum, the sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia, and the Pinacotheca.

Other notable strongholds were the Acropolis of Corinth, called Acrocorinthus, that of Larisa at Argos, that of Mount Ithome at Messene, and that of Thebes, called Cadmea.