ACROPOLIS, Erechtheion

The Erechtheion is a sanctuary dedicated to Athena Polias, the “patron deity of the city”, built over a previous temple in honor of the goddess. Legend has it that this was the site of the battle between Athena and Poseidon, the fearsome god of the sea, to establish who was to rule over Attica. The name may derive from Erechtheus, one of the names Poseidon was known by, meaning “he who shakes”, but the etymology is uncertain. 

You can easily see how different this building is from the Parthenon, although it was built just a few years later, between 421 and 406 BC. The construction was also overseen by Phidias, who sculpted the statues.

Whatever perspective you observe it from, it is not regular and symmetrical like the Parthenon. The peculiar shape is due to the fact that it brought together different faiths in a single building, each with its own independent space....