The Magnificent Parthenon

Greece is said to be the cradle of Western thought and civilization. With such accomplishments such as the first democracy, theater, Olympics and fine architecture it is no wonder that our society still holds the Greeks in such high regard. While Greek art and architecture are renown, one prominent landmark continues to impress- the Parthenon.

The Parthenon was built as a temple to the god of wisdom- Athena. It was constructed over 2,000 years ago between 447 B.C. and 432 B.C. It sits high atop one of Athens great hills which is called the Acropolis. Once a place for Greek kings, over the years it was used as a church, a mosque and even a weapons depo during the war between the Ottoman Empire and Venice. While it continues to stand, it has undoubtedly been damaged throughout the years. However a little over 30 years ago, work began on its complete restoration. The restoration process will be a complete overhaul of the structure and return it to its former, original design and beauty.

For those that love Greek culture and architecture, the restoration of the Parthenon is quite exciting. To read more about this amazing structure and the restoration process, please visit Smithsonian Magazine’s main website at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Greece’s Incredible Parthenon

If you read lots of Greek mythology in school, you might be pleased to learn that many of the monuments that the Greek’s refer to are still standing. One is the Parthenon. The Parthenon was built over 2,000 years ago and it still continues to make an incredibly powerful impression on those that lay eyes on this architectural achievement.

The Parthenon was built about 2300 years ago and incredibly it stands to this day. While it has endured close calls to its destruction, today, it is being renovated and restored to bring back this monument to its original design- a magnificent temple for the goddess Athena.

Incredibly, the Parthenon has served many empires and many causes. It was originally the temple for Athena- the goddess of wisdom and then became a church; it was even a mosque during the Ottoman Empire and unfortunately an ammunition depo during a war between Turkey and Italy. However, today, the finest engineers, architects, artisans and laborers are working hard for the last 30 years to totally restore this temple to her former grace.

For more interesting details and to read the Smithsonian Magazine article on the incredible Parthenon, please visit our main website today at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Parthenon of Acropolis

For those that love to read about Ancient Greece, some of the fantastic monuments that were written in detail long ago still exist. One such monument that is still incredibly beautiful today as it was more than 2,000 years ago is the Parthenon.

The Parthenon was built more than 2300 years ago and while the original monument that is still standing has gone through trials and tribulations, a complete restoration is currently taking place to bring back this original temple to the goddess Athena all her magnificence.

The Parthenon has been used as a temple for the Greek goddess, as a church, a mosque and even as an ammunitions depo. Thankfully, it was never totally destroyed. Over the past 30 years a comprehensive restoration is taking place to ensure that the Parthenon is brought back to her original glory. The Parthenon is architecturally perfect and a site to behold. While certain parts of this structure are covered in tarps during restoration, it won’t be long until the restoration is complete.

For those that are fascinated by the Parthenon, the Smithsonian Magazine has an interesting article on this structure and the ongoing restoration. Please visit our main website at the following link to read it: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

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Ancient Greece: The Parthenon

If you love reading about the ancient world or traveling to the Mediterranean region, one of the most recognizable structures that should not be passed up is Greece’s Parthenon. The Parthenon is known throughout the world for its elegant, but scarred white columns and its preeminent location atop the great mountain in Athens. While many architects consider the Parthenon perfect, today the building has been stripped down to its bare shell in order for it to undergo a complete restoration which is now more than 30 years into the process.

The Construction of the Parthenon
The Parthenon is an enormously impressive structure built originally as a temple for the Greek goddess of wisdom- Athena. The Parthenon is believed to be constructed between 447 B.C. and 432 B.C. The Parthenon sits atop the highest hill in Athens called Acropolis. This area was once the home of kings of Greece, however once Greece changed its government to that of citizens instead of kings, the Greeks decided to build a temple to honor their goddess. Amazingly, the Parthenon was built in such a short period of time- an amazing feat in its own right.

The Two Genius Architects of the Parthenon
In the 440’s B.C., the citizens of Athens hired two architects to create and build the new Parthenon. These architects were Callicrates and Ictinus. Obviously, both were gifted and they created one of the finest temples (or for that matter any structure) the world has ever seen. While the temple has stood for millennia, over the years it has changed from a temple for the patron goddess Athena to a Christian Church in 400 A.D. to a mosque during the Ottoman Empire in 1400 A.D. It was even used at one point during the war with Venice to store ammunition. While the temple has been taken over by many different faiths, thankfully it was never totally destroyed.

The Parthenon Still Stands Today Atop the Acropolis
The Parthenon has stood for thousands of years and during this time it has been shot at, stripped down and even looted. And while it is only a shell of its former glory, it is being renovated today to replicate as closely as possible what this magnificent temple looked like when it was first built. To read more about the Greek Parthenon and its fascinating history, the Smithsonian Magazine is featuring an excellent article regarding the Parthenon and the current restoration. You can visit our main site today to read the article at the following link: http://www.smithsonianmag.com

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