Temple of Hephaestus

The Temple of Hephaestus sits atop the Kolonos Agoraios hill, easily identified by its complete colonnade of thirty-four Doric columns and much of its original roof. Built between four hundred forty-nine and four hundred fifteen BCE, the temple overlooks the ancient marketplace of Athens. It was dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of metalworking and fire, and Athena Ergane, the patroness of crafts. The location is fitting, as the surrounding area was the industrial heart of the city, filled with the workshops of blacksmiths and potters who looked to these gods for protection.