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The Acropolis Facts & Worksheets

The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments, encompassing approximately 7.4 acres in total, are located on a hill above Athens that offers a glimpse into the life and times of the Ancient Greeks.

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The Acropolis of Athens and its monuments, encompassing approximately 7.4 acres in total, are located on a hill above Athens that offers a glimpse into the life and times of the Ancient Greeks. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

See the fact file below for more information on the Acropolis or alternatively, you can download our 21-page World Heritage Sites: The Acropolis worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

History of the Acropolis

  • The most famous of Greece’s landmarks and monuments is the Acropolis in Athens.
  • It sits approximately 492 feet above sea level, strategically built so that the ancient Greeks would be better able to defend themselves.
  • Acropolis translates to “High city” in Greek, and while other cities have an acropolis, the one in Athens is the most well-known.
  • At the top of the acropolis lies important buildings that were built as a fortress so that people could escape if the city was attacked.
  • Some evidence suggests that the hill on which the acropolis was built was inhabited as early as the 4th millennium BC.
  • Pericles (right), a Greek statesman and general of Athens during the Golden Age (the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars), was the man who was responsible for coordinating the construction of the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion.
  • Many buildings were destroyed by the Persians in 480 BCE; as a result, new walls were built around the sacred remains that were buried; it took approximately fifty years to build these Some repairs were made to the acropolis over the next 500 years.
  • After the Ottoman conquest of Greece, the Turkish army used the Parthenon as its headquarters.
  • In 1687, during the siege of the Venetians in the Morean War (depiction to the right), many of the buildings were damaged.
  • Only a small fraction of the entire acropolis remains to this day, and is accessible via walking up the hill.

Buildings of the Acropolis

  • Parthenon
    • Biggest building in the Acropolis; started in 447 BCE
    • Built for the Greek goddess Athena (goddess of wisdom and war); Athens was also named after her
    • Built as a place to worship Athena and the other gods and goddesses
  • Propylaia
    • Completed in 437 BCE; built as a monumental entrance to the Acropolis rock
    • Surrounds the entrance to the Acropolis
    • Some people believe construction was stopped in order to save resources for the Peloponnesian War
  • Erechtheion
    • Contained shrines and sites; started in 420 BCE
    • According to Ancient Greek mythology, this is where Athena had defeated Poseidon in her battle to win over the city
    • It is an intricate and elegant religious temple
  • Temple of Athena Nike
    • Located right next to the Propylaia; was an important location of a sanctuary
    • Protects the most vulnerable access point to the citadel
    • It had no wings, and was deprived of them so that, according to myth, it could never leave the city of Athens
  • The Old Temple
    • Dedicated to Erechtheus (the mythical god who was later replaced by Poseidon)
    • Was rebuilt several times on the spot and renovated to include marble pediments
    • Was replaced eventually by the Erechtheion.

Facts about the Acropolis

  • The architects who were mainly responsible for developing the Acropolis were Iktinos, Kallikrates, and Mnesikles.
  • Important sculptors who transformed the hill into a beautiful and well-embellished landmark were Pheidias, Alkamenes, and Agorakritos.
  • The ideas of democracy, philosophy, theatre, and freedom of expression and speech were essentially “born’ on this hill.
  • The Acropolis has survived wars, natural disasters, bombardments, and explosions for nearly 25 centuries.
  • The Acropolis is known as a shining example of Greek Classical art and architecture, as well as a centrepiece of history.
  • The best time to visit the Acropolis is in the late winter or spring, as it is the greenest and most beautiful.
  • The Acropolis Restoration Project began in 1975; the goal of the project was to reverse the decay that had began to pollute and destroy the site’s craftsmanship and and attempt to restore and reassemble the buildings
    using the original materials.
  • A combination of modern technological know-how and ancient techniques was to be used.
  • Since 2017, the project has come to a halt, but members have managed to restore nearly 1,000 stones (reassembled from fragments of the originals) and 3,000 tons of architectural members.
acropolis-facts
Odeon of Herodes Atticus, stone theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece

World Heritage Sites: The Acropolis Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Acropolis across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use World Heritage Sites: The Acropolis worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Acropolis of Athens and its monuments, encompassing approximately 7.4 acres in total, are located on a hill above Athens that offers a glimpse into the life and times of the Ancient Greeks. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Acropolis Facts.
  • Impact of War.
  • Coloring Sheet.
  • Acropolis Wordsearch.
  • Diary of an Architect.
  • Archaeology Search.
  • Illegal Activity!
  • Acropolis Crossword.
  • Lost in Translation.
  • Acropolis Acrostic.
  • Opinion Paragraph.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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