Visiting the Parthenon
High above Athens on the Acropolis, the Parthenon immediately draws your eye as the anchor of the world's most famous ancient sanctuary. Built as the grand temple for Athena, the goddess and protector of the city, construction took place between 447 and 432 BCE under the leadership of Pericles. It remains one of the most celebrated and recognizable monuments of classical civilization. Over the centuries, it has weathered numerous transformations and disasters, serving as a Christian church in the 6th century, a mosque in 1458, an Ottoman gunpowder magazine that exploded during a Venetian bombardment in 1687, and withstanding a major earthquake in 1804. Today, ongoing conservation work runs continuously alongside the daily stream of visitors.
An Architectural Masterpiece of Precision
Constructed entirely of Pentelic marble, the temple once housed the colossal statue of Athena Parthenos sculpted by Phidias, standing 12m tall. Crafted from ivory and gold, this magnificent figure was the focal point for offerings and the city's greatest treasures. The Parthenon also held the city's reserve funds in the chamber of the virgins. As a masterpiece of classical architecture with meticulous detailing, it retains its striking beauty despite the ravages of time. This Doric temple features 46 columns in total with 8 on each end and 17 along the flanks, measuring 70m long by nearly 31m wide. Built using the finest materials of antiquity, its structural harmony and sculptural decoration remain its most arresting features.
From subtle optical corrections in its straight lines to carved friezes depicting sacred processions and games, and high-relief battle scenes, its surviving sculptural fragments are now housed in major museums around the globe. Pericles envisioned the monument as a statement of civic greatness, and nearly two and a half millennia later, the Parthenon continues to captivate visitors and define the skyline of Athens.
Opening hours
| Monday | 08:00-17:00 |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 08:00-17:00 |
| Wednesday | 08:00-17:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00-17:00 |
| Friday | 08:00-17:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00-17:00 |
| Sunday | 08:00-17:00 |
*Information subject to change
The Parthenon is a monument I had been wanting to see for a long time. I was finally able to do it a few years ago during my trip to Greece. The massive columns certainly give an impression of power, but the monument consists simply of ruins that are not necessarily well-preserved. However, the view of the city of Athens remains magnificent.