On which hill in Athens is the Parthenon located?

The Parthenon stands on the Acropolis, the fortified rocky hill above Athens. More precisely, it occupies the summit of the Acropolis of Athens, alongside other ancient monuments including the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, and the Temple of Athena Nike.

“Acropolis” means “upper city” in Greek and is a general term for a high citadel, not a unique name belonging only to Athens. In ordinary usage, however, “the Acropolis” usually means Athens’ famous archaeological hill. Its elevated position provided both defensive advantages and a commanding setting for religious buildings.

The hill had been inhabited long before the classical Parthenon. Earlier sanctuaries stood there, and Persian forces destroyed the Acropolis during the invasion of 480 BC. Athens later rebuilt the summit during its fifth-century golden age, creating the architectural complex seen in ruins today.

The Parthenon is therefore not on Mount Lycabettus, the Pnyx, or the Areopagus. Those are separate Athenian elevations or rocky sites with their own historical importance. The Acropolis is the hilltop citadel; the Parthenon is its most famous surviving temple.