Modern Greece still bears a remarkable amount of the architecture of the Ancients. Most of the buildings that remain were temples, and were made of marble – a most durable stone.

Many facets of Greek architectural design influence modern architecture. Perhaps the most recognisable feature is the usage of columns. There were three types of columns, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, and each symbolised a different style of building.

The most famous Greek archaeological site is the Acropolis in Athens. Most of the major cities had an Acropolis. It was a walled “town centre” at the top of a mountain where all the most important buildings were situated. The “Polis” part of the word refers to the people of the city state. The reason for its positioning was so that the Acropolis was easily defendable from invading armies.