Parthenon

The Parthenon was built in the 5th century BCE and dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron deity of Athens. It replaced an older temple that was destroyed during the Persian invasion of the city.

It is a Doric temple built entirely of Pentelic marble, located on the Acropolis of Athens. Architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed it under the supervision of the renowned sculptor Phidias.

Construction of the Parthenon took place primarily between 447 and 432 BCE during the Golden Age of Pericles. It was built remarkably fast for its scale and architectural complexity.

Many of the original sculptural reliefs, known as the Elgin or Parthenon Marbles, are currently housed in the British Museum in London. Greece has continuously requested their return to be displayed in the Acropolis Museum in Athens.