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Temple of Hephaestus/Theseion
Ναός Ηφαίστου/Θησείο
Hephaistos Temple.JPG
Temple of Hephaestus, Athens
General information
Architectural style Ancient Greek and Doric
Town or city Athens
Country Greece
Coordinates 37°58′32.22″N 23°43′17.01″E / 37.9756167°N 23.7213917°E / 37.9756167; 23.7213917
Construction started 449 BC
Completed 415 BC

The Temple of Hephaestus is an ancient Greek temple in Athens, Greece. It is one of the best-preserved temples from Ancient Greece. The temple is dedicated to Hephaestus, the Greek god of metalworking, crafts, and fire. It stands on a hill called Agoraios Kolonos, located on the northwest side of the Agora of Athens, which was the main marketplace and meeting place in ancient Athens.

From the 7th century AD until 1834, this temple was used as a Greek Orthodox church. Its long history of different uses helped keep the building in great condition. For a long time, people mistakenly called it the Theseion, thinking it was dedicated to the hero Theseus.

Why is it called the Temple of Hephaestus?

Hephaestus was a very important god for people who worked with metal, made crafts, and used fire. There were many workshops for potters and metalworkers near the temple. This makes sense, as the temple was built to honor Hephaestus.

Before this temple was built, there was a smaller holy place on the same spot. It was burned down in 480 BCE during the Second Persian invasion of Greece. The name Theseion (Temple of Theseus) was given to the building much later. People thought it held the remains of the Athenian hero Theseus. His remains were brought back to Athens from the island of Skyros in 475 BCE. However, writings found inside the temple clearly show it was built for Hephaestus.

How was the Temple Built?

After a big battle called Plataea, the Greeks made a promise. They swore they would never rebuild the holy places that the Persians destroyed during their invasion. They wanted to leave them in ruins as a reminder of the war. Instead, the Athenians focused on rebuilding their economy. They also worked to make their group, the Delian League, stronger.

When Pericles became a leader in Athens, he had a grand plan. He wanted to make Athens the most important center of Greek power and culture. Construction on the Temple of Hephaestus began in 449 BCE. Some experts believe it took about 30 years to finish. This was because money and workers were also being used to build the Parthenon, another famous temple.

The western part of the temple's decorative carvings, called the frieze, was finished between 445–440 BCE. Around this time, a statue of Athena was added next to the main statue of Hephaestus. The eastern frieze and the western triangular roof section (pediment) were finished later, around 435–430 BCE. The roof was finally completed, and the statues of the gods were put inside, during a time of peace (421–415 BCE).

What Does the Temple Look Like?

We don't know the exact architect who designed the temple. So, people just call them The Hephaisteion Master. The temple is mostly built from marble from a nearby mountain called Penteli. Only the bottom step of the platform, called the krepis, is made of a different material. The detailed sculptures are made from both Pentelic and Parian marble.

The temple measures about 13.71 meters (about 45 feet) from north to south. It is 31.78 meters (about 104 feet) from east to west. It has six columns on the shorter east and west sides. There are thirteen columns along the longer north and south sides. The four columns at the corners are counted twice.

Temple of Hephaestus (South), Athens - 20070711
The columns on the south side of the temple, facing the Agora.

The building has a front porch, called a pronaos. In the center is a main room, called a cella, where the statues of the gods were kept. There is also a back porch, called an opisthodomos. Inside the temple, there is another set of columns. There are five columns on the north and south sides and three across the end.

The temple's decorations show a mix of two styles of Greek architecture. Both the front and back porches have continuous decorative carvings, called friezes. These are in the Ionic style, which is different from the more common Doric style used elsewhere on the temple.

The triangular sections above the porches, called pediments, also have sculptures. The east pediment shows the birth of Athena. The west pediment shows Hephaestus returning to Mount Olympus. The decorative carvings on the front porch show a battle involving the hero Theseus. The carvings on the back porch show a fight between Centaurs and Lapiths.

Only 18 of the 68 square panels, called metopes, on the temple were carved. These are mainly on the east side. The other panels might have been painted. The ten metopes on the east side show the Labours of Hercules. The four metopes on the north and south sides, closest to the east, show the Labours of Theseus.

According to an ancient writer named Pausanias, the temple held bronze statues of Athena and Hephaestus. Records show payments for two bronze statues between 421–415 BCE. It is believed that a famous sculptor named Alcamenes made them. Pausanias described the temple in the 2nd century AD: Above the Kerameikos [in Athens] and the portico called the King's Portico is a temple of Hephaistos. I was not surprised that by it stands a statue of Athena, because I knew the story about Erikhthonios [the first king of Athens, son of Hephaistos and Athena].

In the 3rd century BCE, a small garden was planted around the temple. It had pomegranate, myrtle, and laurel trees and bushes. The temple was likely closed during a time when non-Christian religions were not allowed in the late Roman Empire.

The Temple as a Church

Around 700 AD, the Temple of Hephaestus was changed into a Christian church. It was dedicated to Saint George. We don't know the exact year it became a church, but it was likely in the 7th century.

In Greek Orthodox tradition, churches often have extra names for their saints. Saint George "Akamates" has a few possible meanings. One idea is that it comes from Akamantas, a son of Theseus. Another idea is that akamates means "loiterer" or "lazy person." This is because during the time of the Ottoman Empire, the temple was only used once a year for Saint George's feast day. A third idea is that the name comes from Archbishop Michael Akominatos, who might have been the first to hold a church service there.

The very last church service in the temple happened on February 21, 1833. This was during the celebrations for the arrival of Otto of Greece, who became the new king. The bishop of Atalante gave a speech to the people of Athens and many others.

The Temple in the 19th Century

When Athens became the capital of Greece in 1834, the official announcement was made at this temple. It was the last time the people of Athens gathered publicly there. In the 19th century, the temple was used as a burial place for Europeans who were not Orthodox Christians. Many of these were "philhellenes," people who loved Greece and helped in the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830).

Among those buried there was John Tweddel, a friend of Lord Elgin. During excavations, a stone slab from the grave of George Watson was found. It had a Latin message written by Lord Byron. In 1834, Otto I, the first King of Greece, was officially welcomed at the temple. Otto ordered the building to be used as a museum. It remained a museum until 1934. After that, it became an ancient monument again, and archaeologists were allowed to do extensive research.

Buildings Inspired by the Temple of Hephaestus

The Temple of Hephaestus has inspired many other buildings around the world. Here are a few examples:

See also

  • List of Ancient Greek temples
  • Architecture of Ancient Greece
  • Hexastyle
  • List of Greco-Roman roofs

Images for kids

  • Atenas, Ágora 03

    Temple of Hephaestus

  • Edward Dodwell - Thesseion

    Festival in Athens in front of the Temple of Hephaestus, 1805, painted by Edward Dodwell

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