In the beginning Gaia and Uranus came together and gave birth to the Titans, thus begins the Greek myths of creation. The titans Cronus and Rhea gave birth to the original six gods Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus who over through the titans and began their rule over the earth. The religion of the ancient Greeks is rich, full of fantastical myths, and amazing stories. These myths and legends have survived through out the eons. They were absorbed into countless cultures most notably that of the Roman Empire. Along with the long lasting religion came the marvelous architecture of its sacred sites. The temples, shrines, and monuments to the Greek Gods survive today as some of the most beloved example of ancient architecture. They allow us to pay tribute not to the gods that they represent, but the skilled architects who built them.

 

           A notable temple is that of the Oracle at Delphi, which is dedicated to the god Apollo. Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto a mortal. When Hera, Zeus’ wife, discovered Leto she forced Leto to roam the Earth looking for a place which was not Terra Firma, which caused Leto to give birth to Apollo and Artemis on a floating island called Delos. Apollo became the god of music, light, prophecy and other attributes of life. As Apollo matured he, like his father, took many women. Possibly the most famous his lovers was the mortal Hecuba who gave birth to Troilius, who was it was prophesied that if he reached twenty years of age would prevent the defeat of Troy.  Apollo was a much loved god and controller of the Oracle at Delphi. The temple constructed there was destroyed and rebuilt many times. In the sixth century BC it was redesigned an built by the architects Trophonios and Agamedes. Its classical design was of columns arranged in a six by fifteen rectangle was said to bring honor to Apollo. It was later destroyed in three-hundred seventy three BC and rebuilt again in three hundred thirty BC by the architects Spintharos, Xenodoros, and Agathon from Corinth. This is the structure that stands today, built from lime stone using columns of the Doric style, it is a testament to Greek way of life.

 

           Another god that is extremely significant in Greek mythology is Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. As with many gods she had strange circumstances surrounding her birth. She was the daughter of Zeus and the goddess Metis, an earlier goddess of wisdom. Zeus feared Metis might give birth to a son who might overthrow him, so he ate Metis who gave birth within him. Athena crafted a helmet while within him, giving him headaches. Hephaetus cracked open Zeus’ head and as such Athena was born. One of the most famous temples in the world is dedicated to Athena. The Parthenon in Athens is an exceptional memorial to the goddess that serves also as a testimony to craftsmanship of the Greeks. It sits above the city on the Acropolis; a large cliff side stands robustly over the city. Its foundation is made of limestone, and its columns of marble. Built by skilled architects of the city in the fourth century BC it and its statue of Athena, built of ivory and gold,  were dedicated in four hundred and eighty three BC.

 

           These are just a few examples of the magnificence of the ancient Greeks. The gods of ancient Greece were mythically powerful. According to legend they controlled the Earth and all with in it. The architecture constructed by the Greeks serve as awe inspiring examples of ingenuity and innovation.  They are evidence of not of gods but of what heights humanity can reach.