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Temple of Hephaestus, Athens

4.8

#3 of 66 in Historic Sites in Athens

Ruin Religious Site

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Little changed in the two millennia since its completion, making Temple of Hephaestus recognizable to many on the northwestern corner of Athens' centrally located ancient agora. Dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmiths, the Doric temple once stood in the middle of a busy area housing foundries and metalwork shops. Built around 450 BCE of marble carried here from a nearby mountain, the temple features 34 columns and an Ionic frieze portraying the mythical twelve labors of Heracles (Hercules). Christians converted the temple into a church in the 7th century and held services inside until 1833. To gain a better understanding of the ancient world's everyday life, take a guided tour of the temple and the surrounding archeological site. Plan a Athens trip in moments using our itinerary builder.

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Temple of Hephaestus Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4,507 reviews

Google

4.8

facebook

4.8

318 likes

• By permia

  It’s a glorious sight on the little hill within the Agora. A scene of Pentelic marble columns against the deep azure of the morning time was particularly delightful. As one of the best preserved...  more »

• By 130Doug

  November 2018 (not 2019) The view both to and from the temple was simply beautiful, and once up at the top, we did the touristy usuals by taking selfies and just relishing in the fact that we were...  more »

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Google

• By Sushill Shyam Sundar

  One of the sites to see in the world. Truly amazing, part of the whole host of things you get to see in Athens in your temple walk. Looking down on the city is a truly great experience. Made me feel like Jason Bourne.

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• By Jianna Lavarias

  Loved it. There was this weird man reading a book. He ended up being on Google Maps. Overall this place was fun and I loved going on a vacation here.

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