Parthenon
The Parthenon is known as the masterpiece of Greek architecture. The Parthenon is the most important and characteristic monument of the ancient Greek civilization and still remains its international symbol. The name of the temple comes from the Greek word parthenos, or virgin; that is, the goddess Athena. It was dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. The temple stands on a hill called the "Acropolis" which overlooks the city. The Parthenon was the first building to be constructed on the Acropolis. At that time there were no buildings in Athens because of the war between Athens and Persia. Consequently, they wanted to rebuild his city. Many thought that the first building to be built must be a temple to Athena, their patron goddess. It was she who saw them through that war. The temple was built between 447 and 438 B.C. Pericles initiated the construction of the monumen
The statue of Athena Parthenos was over twelve meters tall. The larger of the two interior rooms, the naos, housed the cult statue. No Greek temple ever before had employed sculpture depicting mere mortals. It is surrounded by forty-six Doric columns standing at thirty-four feet high. The central part of the temple, called the cella, sheltered the famous cult statue of Athena, made by Phidias. The design used for these columns was a technique called fluting. The frieze also depicts men on horseback, other men leading the sacrificial animals, as well as women carrying other offerings. Each column has exactly 20 grooves. The entire building was basically designed as the shelter for the cult statue of Athena. Shown on the west side are twelve metopes of the mythical battle against the Amazons (Amazonomachy). This masterpiece has lasted over 2,500 years because of its fine marble construction. The Parthenon combines an element of the Doric and Ionic orders.
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