The Parthenon: Classical Greek Structure of Doric Order Architecture
Where Is The Parthenon?
Perched atop the Acropolis of Athens, Greece and dedicated to the city’s patron goddess Athena, the Parthenon was built by the celebrated Greek statesman Pericles and renowned Greek architects Ictinus and Callicrates, along with the famous Greek sculptor Phidias.
When Was The Parthenon Built?
Constructed from 447 B.C.E. until its completion in 432 B.C.E., the Parthenon stands as the most important surviving structure of Classical Greece, representing a high-water example of Doric Order architecture.
Why Was The Parthenon Built?
To the Athenians who built it, the Parthenon and its adjoining Periclean monuments of the Acropolis were built as a celebration of the Hellenic city’s victory over Persian invaders, as well as a symbol of thanksgiving to the gods that made their victory possible. Built atop the ruins of an Older Parthenon destroyed in the Persian invasion of 480 B.C.E., the Parthenon served not only as the city’s treasury, but also as the center of Athenian religious life, not to mention a standout symbol of Athen’s power, wealth and culture.
The structure includes a rectangular floor plan with a 23,000 square-foot base, replete with 46 outer Doric columns surrounding 19 inner columns, all of which are slightly tapered to give the temple a symmetrical appearance. Absent of straight lines or right angles, the Parthenon stands as a true achievement in late Greek architecture.
After Athena
Housed in the original structure was a 39-foot-tall gold and ivory statue of Athena, which has long since been lost to the steady march of foreign invasion and looting, although many smaller works of art and sculpture remain to this day.
After the Christian Byzantines conquered Greece in the sixth century A.D., quickly outlawing the pagan worship of polytheistic Greek gods, the Parthenon was converted to a Christian church, where the missing statue of Athena was replaced by a marble pulpit and bishop’s chair.
The Parthenon would remain a Christian church until Ottoman Turks invaded Athens in 1458 A.D., converting the structure into a mosque, although much of the Christian paintings and sculptures were left intact.
When the Christian Holy League attacked the Ottomans in 1687, the Parthenon was converted into an ammunitions depot and troop shelter, resulting in relentless cannon bombardments by the Holy League that caused hundreds of deaths and massive structural damage to the Parthenon itself. Thanks to ongoing restoration efforts by the Greek government, the Parthenon lives on as a landmark achievement in the history of Western Civilization.