TEMPLE OF ATHENA NIKE

The Temple of Athena Nike, meaning "victorious," is the smallest temple on the Acropolis in Athens. It was built around 420 BC by the architect Callicrates in the Ionic style, with slender columns on both sides. The temple sits on the edge of a precipice near the Propylaia and is adorned with a parapet featuring sculpted scenes of Athena Nike engaging in various activities. Inside the temple once stood a wooden statue of Athena Nike holding a pomegranate, symbolizing prosperity. The temple was demolished by the Turks in the 17th century to build a defensive bastion but was later reconstructed in the 19th century.