The Parthenon was constructed between 447 and 432 BCE on the Acropolis of Athens under the political leadership of Pericles. Dedicated to Athena Parthenos, the city’s patron goddess, it formed the architectural centerpiece of a broader rebuilding program following the Persian Wars. The temple was designed by Ictinus and Callicrates, with sculptural direction by Phidias. Built primarily of Pentelic marble, the structure is a Doric peripteral temple with Ionic elements incorporated into its interior frieze. Although partially damaged in 1687 during a Venetian bombardment, the Parthenon remains a defining monument of Classical Greek architecture and continues to shape global architectural and political symbolism.
Key Facts
- Materials
- Pentelic marble
- Dimensions
- 69.5 m x 30.9 m
- Civilization
- Classical Athens
- Date(s)
- 447–432 BCE
- Condition
- Partially ruined; undergoing long-term restoration
- Original Function
- Temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos
- Key Figures
- Pericles, Phidias, Ictinus, Callicrates
- Architectural Style
- Doric peripteral with Ionic frieze
Pre-Classical Foundations
6th century BCEAn earlier temple dedicated to Athena stood on the Acropolis before the Persian invasion of 480 BCE. This structure, sometimes referred to as the 'Older Parthenon,' was destroyed during the sack of Athens by Persian forces under Xerxes.
Classical Construction Program
447–432 BCEThe Parthenon was commissioned as part of Pericles’ ambitious rebuilding program financed in part by the Delian League treasury. Architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed the structure, while Phidias oversaw the sculptural program, including the chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos housed within the cella.
Hellenistic and Roman Adaptations
323 BCE – 4th century CEThe temple retained its religious function through the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Roman emperors, including Nero and Hadrian, engaged with the monument symbolically, though its core architectural form remained largely intact.
Christian and Ottoman Transformations
5th–17th centuryIn the 5th century CE, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Following the Ottoman conquest of Athens in 1458, it was converted into a mosque. These adaptations altered interior features but preserved the main structural shell.
Explosion and Modern Restoration
1687 – presentDuring the Venetian siege of Athens in 1687, an Ottoman ammunition store housed inside the temple was struck by artillery, causing a major explosion that destroyed much of the roof and central structure. Systematic archaeological study began in the 19th century. Since 1975, the Acropolis Restoration Service has conducted extensive conservation using original materials and reversible techniques.