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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. Before you visit Athens, use our trip planner to discover what you can do and see there.

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Temple of Hephaestus Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

4,254 reviews

Google

4.8

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4.8

287 likes

• By נילי ג

  Either you visit this temple on its own or take a wider ticket to cover other Agora sites, it's worth the visit. With some imagination you can see the glory of the old temple.  more »

• By PoppyTowcester

  It's worth visiting this wonderfully complete temple in the Ancient Agora. Sadly the site itself is a bit light on information about the history, although the museum on the site has a chronological di...  more »

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Google

• By Phillip Whitehair

  Stunning architecture, thousands of years of history, and various places to explore. The Temple of Hephaestus offers guests a remarkable experience, and something everyone needs to visit. The overall condition of the Temple of Hephaestus is excellent, especially being thousands of years old. Besides the temple, there’s various pathways with monuments, statues, and sculptures. Spend a couple hours exploring, take lots of pictures, and enjoy thousands of years of history. Once your done exploring the Temple of Hephaestus, there’s tons of restaurants, cafes, and attractions within walking distance. I highly recommend this ancient marvel!

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• By Panacea G

  Stunning temple. Such great preserved history. There is also a museum nearby. I had a great time learning about the history of the temple and seeing the architecture.

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