12 Stunning Historical Facts about The Parthenon

Published on December 5, 2017
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The Parthenon was not solely a religious temple.

The Parthenon was constructed from 447 BC all the way until 432 BC by Athenians that were keen on worshipping the goddess Athena. While many people rightly point to Athena as the primary motivation behind the construction of the Parthenon, it is far from the sole one. As it turns out, much of the Parthenon seemed to have been built as a sort of art gallery for the wonders of the time. Historians generally agree that part of its purpose was to unite great works of art within the trappings of a temple, thus capturing the imagination of all the people who would come visit it. One of the finest and most exuberant works of art to be displayed in those hallowed halls was a gigantic statue of Athena, created by Phidias, and made entirely of both gold and ivory. Seeing the Parthenon in all of its glory, with art work towering over residents of the time, must have truly been something to behold. Alas, now we have what is left standing, damaged by time.

The Parthenon was not solely a religious temple

The Parthenon was not solely a religious temple

The Parthenon is considered a testament to Doric construction.

The Parthenon was designed by Phidias, the primary sculptor, alongside both Iktinos and Kallikrates. Over the years of construction that the building endured all of the designers poured into it the works of the Doric Order. The Doric Order is one of three different orders of classical architecture in ancient Greece (with the two others being Ionic and Corinthian). Works of the Doric were revered due to their classic simplicity as a whole while intricate details were hidden amongst other portions of the buildings. You can identify a Doric building by a few telltale signs. Look at the columns and see how they tend to flute rather than having a larger base. These columns were 6 feet in diameter and 34 feet in height. There were 46 outer columns along with 20 different flutes. If you study ancient architecture then be prepared for an extensive lesson on the work decided by Phidias while designing the Parthenon.

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