Ancient temples offer the chance to view sculptures made of different materials and cult images. Early cult images were carved from wood, and later they were made from stone and cast bronze. The best cult pictures were made from crystelephantine which is a combination of gold and ivory. Zeus was one of these statues, and it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Parthenon
The Parthenon is an architectural masterpiece. It is one of the most well-known ancient temples in the entire world. The building's long, horizontal lines appear to sag, but the designers purposely curved them. The entire structure appears more dynamic because the vertical columns are thicker in their middle. Parthenon architects also added many hidden devices to the structure, such as curved colonnes, which helps improve its overall appearance.
Parthenon boasts an astonishing array of architectural excellence. Friezes depicting gods and battles are found on the temple's upper wall. Two girls are also shown in the friezes, one holding a folded cloth while the other carries something.
Heraion
The Heraion ancient temple in Samos, Greece is a massive sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Hera. It is situated six kilometres from Samos' ancient city. This site was the center of worship in the early Hellenistic period. This temple was one of the earliest giant free-standing Ionic temples and was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1992.
For a long period, the site has been a popular tourist destination in Samos. Here began a long-term campaign of excavations in 1925. The Second World War interrupted excavations, but they were resumed in 1951. Ernst Buschor, Ernst Homann-Wedeking and others led this excavation project. They continued their work until the early 60s. These excavations established the chronology of this site and revealed many votive objects dating back to the 8th Century.
Athena Nike temple
The Athena Nike temple is dedicated the goddesses Athena Nike and is one among the oldest temples on Acropolis. It was built circa 420 BC. It has columns and marble walls that are intricately carved, as well as statues of goddesses.
The temple is located on a bastion in the Acropolis and is a good example of Greek architecture. It is built in the Ionic style and has four monolithic columns on the east and west fronts. Athena Nike was the goddess of victory and was worshipped there. Also found within the temple was a wooden cult figure of Athena Nike that held a helmet and a tree of pomegranate in one hand.
Hatshepsut mortuary temple
The Hatshepsut funeral temple is a stunning example of Egyptian architecture. This structure is located in Luxor Egypt. It was constructed during the reign Pharaoh Hatshepsut. It is today a landmark in ancient architecture.
The structure is identical to the Mentuhotep 2 temple, but was constructed more elaborately. It features Proto Doric columns and three layers. The temple was surrounded by gardens.