According to travelers during history, the Treasure of the Athenians was one of the most impressive buildings of the sanctuary of Apollo. It was a relatively small building that dominated the "Holy Road" and served as a kind of treasury for the city of Athens. It was hosting trophies from important military successes of the Athenians as well as many objects that had been dedicated to the temple.
What was the role of the building of the "Treasure of the Athenians"?
The construction of the building took place at the beginning of the 5th century BC. honoring either the supremacy of democracy in Athens or, according to Pausanias, it was a reminder of the repulse of the Persian danger in the Battle of Marathon.
Its architectural style was Doric and its construction material was the famous Parian marble. It was adorned with high art reliefs depicting the labours of Hercules and Theseus while inside were carved hymns in honor of Apollo and some of the most important resolutions of the Athenians.
The building was restored with the sponsorship of the mayor of Athens, by the French archeologists in 1906, while visitors can admire its detached metopes at the nearby Archaeological Museum of Delphi.