🇬🇷 Athens

Erechtheion

Must-See ★ 4.6 · 8k reviews

The Erechtheion or Erechtheum (/ɪˈrɛkθiəm, ˌɛrɪkˈθiːəm/; Ancient Greek: Ἐρέχθειον, Greek: Ερέχθειο) is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon. The temple as seen today was built between 421 and 406 BC. Its architect may have been Mnesicles, and it derived its name from a shrine dedicated to the legendary Greek hero Erichthonius. The sculptor and mason of the structure was Phidias, who was employed by Pericles to build both the Erechtheum and the Parthenon. On the north side, there is another large porch with six Ionic columns, and on the south, the famous "Porch of the Maidens", with six draped female figures (caryatids) as supporting columns. The porch was built to conceal the giant 15-ft beam needed to support the southwest corner over the Kekropion, after the building was drastically reduced in size and budget following the onset of the Peloponnesian war.

Visitor Info

Rating ★ 4.6 7,600 reviews

Visit Time ~20 min

Best Time First Acropolis entry slot

Insider Tips

· The Caryatid porch is the detail most people remember
· Morning light is better for photos and for the full Acropolis circuit

Free on iOS

Explore all 17 places in Athens — download Promenario free

Offline maps and every place in Athens, in your pocket.

Get on App Store →

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the building have such an unusual shape? ▾

It was built on uneven ground and had to incorporate multiple sacred sites simultaneously — including the tomb of Cecrops, the mark of Poseidon's trident, and Athena's sacred olive tree — resulting in its asymmetric multi-level design.

What are the Caryatids? ▾

The six sculpted female figures serving as columns on the south porch are called Caryatids; five originals are in the Acropolis Museum (one is in the British Museum), and the porch today displays high-quality marble casts.

What gods was it dedicated to? ▾

Primarily to Athena Polias (guardian of the city) and Poseidon-Erechtheus; it replaced an older temple destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC and was completed around 406 BC.

When was it built? ▾

Construction took place between approximately 421 and 406 BC, during and after the Peloponnesian War — a remarkably turbulent time to build such an elaborate structure.