Скачать или смотреть Temple of Athena or/and Zeus - name is still open to debate

1. It Was the Heart of the Pergamon Acropolis
The Temple of Athena wasn't just a standalone building; it was the central, sacred focal point of the entire Acropolis, which functioned as the royal, religious, and cultural center of the city. It was strategically positioned at the highest point of the original city settlement, dominating the main courtyard. To its north stood the magnificent Pergamon Altar, to the south the legendary Library, and to the north the Royal Palaces. This placement signified that Athena, as the goddess of wisdom and war, was the divine protector and patron of the Attalid dynasty and the entire kingdom.

2. It Showcased a Rare and Advanced Architectural Style
Built in the 3rd century BCE during the rule of King Eumenes I, the temple is a prime example of the Doric order, but with a unique Pergamene twist. Unlike most Greek temples that are surrounded by columns on all sides (peripteral), the Temple of Athena is prostyle, meaning its columns are only on the front facade. More remarkably, it was one of the first buildings in the ancient world to be built entirely of marble, a testament to the wealth and sophistication of the Pergamon kingdom. Its design and proportions would go on to influence Roman temple architecture.

3. It Was Adjacent to the Second Greatest Library in the Ancient World
The Temple of Athena shared its sacred precinct with the famous Library of Pergamon, which was second only to the Library of Alexandria in size and importance. It's said the library complex held over 200,000 scrolls. This physical connection between the temple of the goddess of wisdom and the great library was intentional, creating a powerful intellectual and spiritual hub. Legend even claims that Mark Antony later gave the entire collection of the Pergamon Library to Cleopatra as a wedding gift, to restock the Library of Alexandria after a fire.

4. Its Design Directly Influenced a Famous Monument in Rome
The architecture of the Temple of Athena had a profound impact on Roman building. The Tabularium (the official records office) in the Roman Forum, built in 78 BCE, is a direct copy of the substructure and colonnaded facade of the Pergamon Temple's precinct. The Romans, who greatly admired Hellenistic culture, saw the powerful and imposing design of the Pergamon Acropolis and replicated its style to convey the authority and permanence of the Roman Republic.

5. You Can See Its Remains in Two Different Countries
While you can visit the foundations and some reconstructed marble column drums on the acropolis in modern-day Bergama, Turkey, the most iconic architectural pieces of the temple are thousands of miles away. In the 19th century, German engineers, with permission from the Ottoman Empire, dismantled and transported many of the temple's key structural elements, including columns, architraves, and friezes, to Berlin. These pieces were used to reconstruct the Pergamon Altar and the facade of the Temple of Athena inside the Pergamon Museum in Germany. This means to get a true sense of the temple's grandeur, you effectively have to visit two countries.