A temple, treasury, church, mosque and enduring symbol of the Acropolis.
In Brief
Built in the fifth century BC, the Parthenon was dedicated to Athena and formed the centrepiece of the Periclean building programme on the Athenian Acropolis.
Built in the fifth century BC, the Parthenon was dedicated to Athena and formed the centrepiece of the Periclean building programme on the Athenian Acropolis.
The Story
The architects Iktinos and Kallikrates designed the temple, while Pheidias supervised its sculptural programme. Pentelic marble was used on an unprecedented scale. Subtle curves and adjustments in columns and foundations created visual harmony. The building’s design is precise, but it is not composed entirely of mathematically straight lines.
The sculptures included pediments, metopes and a continuous Ionic frieze. Inside stood Pheidias’ enormous gold-and-ivory statue of Athena Parthenos. Across later centuries the building became a Christian church and then a mosque. An explosion during the Venetian siege of 1687 caused catastrophic damage.
Why It Matters
The Parthenon is both a masterpiece of Classical architecture and a monument with a long, complex life. Its history cannot be reduced to a single ancient moment.
What to Remember
The debate over the dispersed Parthenon sculptures is part of the monument’s modern history. Greece seeks the reunification of surviving sculptural elements in Athens.