akropolis

An acropolis (from the Greek akron, edge, and polis, city) is a fortified citadel located on a raised or prominent area within an ancient Greek city-state. The acropolis typically housed important religious sanctuaries, treasuries, and defensive structures, serving as a ceremonial and political center that overlooked the urban settlement.

The best-known example is the Acropolis of Athens, a hill rising above the city and a centerpiece of classical architecture. Its core monuments were developed in the 5th century BCE under Pericles, including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. The site functioned as a religious and civic focus through Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman periods before becoming a focal point of modern heritage and archaeology.

In modern times, systematic excavation, stabilization, and restoration have sought to preserve the structures and reveal their architectural details. The Acropolis was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 for its outstanding architectural and cultural significance. It remains a major archaeological site and tourist destination, with the nearby Acropolis Museum opening in 2009 to display artifacts from the site and support ongoing conservation work.

The term acropolis is used for similar high-city sites in other Greek cities, such as Acrocorinth and the Acropolis of Lindos. More generally, it denotes hilltop citadel complexes that housed principal temples and religious precincts, a concept that has influenced both scholarly nomenclature and regional place names.