The Parthenon incorporates characteristics from both the Doric and Ionic orders. It is essentially a Doric peripteral temple with a continuous carved frieze taken from the Ionic order and four Ionic columns supporting the opisthodomos' roof. The combination of these two elements makes it possible to speak of a synthesis between Doric and Ionic design.
The building was erected over a period of about 10 years, starting in 447 B.C. It was originally painted white, then red ochre was used instead. The original color has faded over time due to exposure to the elements.
The dimensions of the Parthenon are 493 feet by 132 feet 6 inches by 46 feet 9 inches (147 m by 41 m by 15 m). Its weight has been estimated at 22 million pounds (10 million kg).
The total cost of construction has been estimated at around 16 million drachmas ($4 million today). Of this amount, about 12 million drachmas were paid as direct costs such as wages for about 600 skilled artists and craftsmen. The remaining costs were met by the public through taxes.
According to Greek mythology, the goddess Athena had her own sanctuary built in the city of Athens because she wanted a place where she could pray undisturbed.
The Parthenon is a Greek temple in Athens that was erected in the 5th century BC in the Doric Order, Greece's oldest architectural style. In the frieze, a part of the ceiling structure, Doric temples have alternating patterns of triglyphs (panels with three vertical lines) and metopes. The Parthenon's cella (inner room) had no exterior wall at all, just a high wooden door. It was here, on the inner surface of this door, that the priest entered to offer sacrifices on behalf of the king and people of Athens.
The triglyphs were painted gold. They represented three vertical stripes, which in turn represented the gods Zeus, Hera, and Hephaestus who were said to have created man. Each triglyph was decorated with an image of one of these deities: a human head with a bird's beak for a nose and claws for feet. They are thought by some scholars to be portraits of the trio of gods, but this is not certain. What is clear is that they were used as decorative elements in artwork and sometimes even served as lighting fixtures in the evenings when the lights would be turned off and on again.
The metopes were carved sculptures placed between the triglyphs. There are two sets of metopes, one above the other, divided by a band of acanthus leaves. On each side of this band are images of warriors battling it out with spears, stones, and swords.
The Parthenon is the focal point of a 5th-century BCE construction campaign on Athens' Acropolis. It was built during the High Classical period and is often regarded as the pinnacle of the development of the Doric order, the simplest of the three Classical Greek architectural orders. The building was originally painted red, white, and black (like the ancient Greeks imagined the heavens to be). Today, most of this paint has been removed.
The original purpose of the Parthenon is unknown. Some have argued that it was built as a temple to Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), but this is now considered unlikely. Instead, many believe that it was built as a treasury for the city, like many other public buildings in Greece at the time. Others think it may have been used as a museum or library. However, since no remains of rooms or structures have been found inside the building, this can't be confirmed one way or another.
The word "Parthenon" comes from the Greek phrase aptero nean eidos, which means "to preserve the virgin form." This refers to a statue of the goddess Athena that was kept within the building. The image is no longer there today, but drawings and descriptions by ancient writers allow us to imagine what it looked like.
The building was constructed using large blocks of marble brought all the way from Parthia near the Persian Gulf.
The Parthenon is a work of art in terms of symmetry and proportion. This temple to the Goddess Athena was constructed without the use of mortar or cement, with the stones being cut with exquisite precision and held together by iron clamps. The overall effect is one of great beauty and strength. The Parthenon stands on the highest point of the Acropolis hill in Athens, Greece. The building is best known for its magnificent sculpture gallery which houses some of the most iconic images from the Golden Age of Greek art: the Propylaia entrance hall features an early version of Nike (the goddess of victory) clad only in a thin wreath and holding a wreath in her hand, about to throw it into the battle. Inside the temple are more statues including those of Athena herself.
The Parthenon is a monument that cannot be described as anything but perfect. Even though parts of it are over 1,000 years old, it has been suggested that it should be preserved as it is now because many elements within it could be destroyed by weather conditions or vandalism. It has also been noted that if it were ever to be reconstructed, using modern technology would not do justice to its original design.
As far as we know, no other structure built by humans contains such a high quality of workmanship or is so perfectly designed.
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