The Temple of Athena Nike is upon the rock of Acropolis, south of the Propylaea. The temple you have the chance to see today, was built around 426-421 BC according to the plans of Kalikratis, an architect who was also responsible for the Parthenon. It was created in the same place where older temples once existed, again dedicated to Athena Nike.

The Temple of Athena Nike is quite small, of Ionic order and made entirely by the famous Pentelic marble. Above the architrave there is a frieze depicting victorious battles of the Greeks, under the gaze of the Olympian gods. According to tradition and the writings of Pausanias, inside the temple there was a statue of the goddess Athena Nike but it was wingless (Apteros) so that she could not fly away. In this way she would live forever in Athens, protecting the city.

During the Ottoman rule, the Turks demolished the temple and used its pieces to build a fortified tower. Once the independent Greek state was created, after the Greek Revolution, the tower was demolished and the temple was restored to its original form.