The Parthenon | A Window into Ancient Greek Civilization & its Architectural Masterpieces

Built during the 5th century, Parthenon is a Greek temple in Athens that was dedicated to the Greek goddess, Athena Parthenos. Read on to learn more about the Parthenon temple including when was it built, why is it famous, and more.

Why is the Parthenon in Athens Famous?

The Parthenon in Athens is famous due to many reasons. It was built after the victory of the Athenians who drove out the Persians and was a symbol of Athens’ freedom. Built using the Doric architectural style, there are 16,500 pieces that fit together perfectly in the temple. That’s not all, the design showcases the citizens’ prowess in maths and geometry. Moreover, the temple housed a gold and ivory statue of Athena that was 12-meter long and considered a masterpiece.

What does Parthenon mean?

Parthenon temple’s name comes from the Greek word παρθενών that means ‘unmarried women’s apartment’. In the case of the temple, the name Parthenon was initially used to refer to only one particular room within the temple. Also, the epithet parthénos translates to maiden girl or virgin, an unmarried woman which was used for Athena and Artemis a lot. This is why it is said that Parthenon means ‘the temple of a virgin goddess’ as it was dedicated to the Greek goddess, Athena Parthenos.

Who Built the Parthenon in Athens?

The architects Ictinus and Callicrates worked on the Parthenon temple with the supervision of Phidias. Phidias also worked on a few sculptures inside this Greek temple including the 12m sculpture of Athena Parthenos made from gold and ivory. The architects used both the Doric and Iconic architectural styles to build the Parthenon in Athens.

History of Parthenon In A Nutshell

Temple to Church

(Before 1258)

Before the Parthenon, an older structure named Older Parthenon stood at the top of Acropolis and acted as a place of worship and a treasury. However, it was destroyed after the invasion of Persians into Athens. In 447 BC, the Athenian statesman named Pericles commenced the construction of the Parthenon temple. The temple was completed and dedicated in 438 BC but the decorative work and sculpture installation continued till 432 BC.

Between 1208 and 1258, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church after Christian Byzantine took over Greece and outlawed worship of Greek gods. 

Under the Ottoman Empire

(1458- 19th Century)

In 1458 A.D., the Muslim Ottoman Empire seized the territory from the Christian Byzantine. They converted the church into a mosque and kept many paintings and artifacts from the church. When the Ottomans faced an attack in 1687 led by Francesco Morosini, they converted the mosque into an ammunitions depot and shelter. However, the Parthenon temple suffered heavy damage after being bombarded with cannonballs. After the attack, the Parthenon temple was in ruins. Thomas Bruce took a few sculptures and marble friezes from the temple in the 19th century to display at the British Museum.

After Independence

(Post 1820s)

Finally, in the 1820s, the Greeks fought for their independence against Turkish rule. This resulted in the Turks removing hundreds of the marble blocks from the temple and making bullets from the temple’s architectural elements. In 1975, the Greek government decided to start the restoration project for Acropolis and Parthenon. They reviewed each relic from the ruins and used computer technology to identify its original position. In 2008, the construction of the Acropolis Museum was completed. A large area of the museum is dedicated to the Parthenon and the pieces taken by Elgin are shown as a veiled plaster cast.

Parthenon Today

In 1687, the Parthenon suffered serious damage after the attack on Athens by Francesco Morosini. Several of the sculptures were brought to the British Museum by Lord Elgin in the 1800s. These were called Parthenon marbles or Elgin marbles. Other sculptures can be found at the Louvre museum in Paris, Copenhagen, and other destinations. Many sculptures are still in Athens and can be found at the Acropolis Museum. Once Greece achieved its freedom, the government started the restoration work on the Acropolis and the Parthenon which continues to this date.  

Restoration

The Greek government started focusing on the restoration of the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens in 1975. A committee named the Acropolis Restoration Project was formed. The committee, with the help of architect Manolis Korres, documented every artifact and identified its original location with the help of computer technology. A few important and fragile sculptures were shifted to the Acropolis Museum.