Erechtheion

The Erechtheion is an ancient Ionic temple built 421-406 BC on the north side of the Acropolis in Athens, probably designed by architect Mnesicles and completed under Philocles. It housed the sacred olivewood cult statue of Athena Polias and served as a shrine to multiple deities including Poseidon, Erechtheus, and Hephaistos. Its most celebrated feature is the south Caryatid Porch, where six sculpted female figures serve as load-bearing columns -- an achievement unequaled in classical architecture. The temple later served as a Byzantine church, a Frankish bishop's palace, and an Ottoman harem before restoration began in 1833.