The Parthenon

 The restoration project of the Parthenon, a must see for a visit to Athens.

This is the official entrance and it's a steep climb up to the Parthenon area. Picture shows Sophie leaving as we complete our visit to the Acropolis. According to Lets Go, the area of the Acropolis was originally the tiny city of Athens inhabited by Mycenaeans. The Parthenon was built later by the ancient Greeks to worship Athena in 447 BC. Other buildings like the Erechtheion was added to the area forming a complex of temples.
Soon after the Acropolis was completed, Athens fell to Sparta and since then its fate shifted dramatically. It was a church during Byzantine times called the Church of Agia Sophia. Under the Frankish crusaders it became Notre Dame d'Athenes. It was bombed and almost destroyed. It became a mosque under the Ottomans. If only the columns could speak, they would have quite a tale to tell!