The Parthenon

The Parthenon is in Athens and is considered a fine example of doric-style construction. The building of the Parthenon began in 447 BCE and continued until 438 BCE so it took about 9 years to build, although some details were finished at a later date. It was built on the site of another temple, which is sometimes referred to as the pre Parthenon. It is believed that many different treasures have

The Parthenon was designed by Phidias, a famous sculptor, at the behest of Pericles, a Greek politician credited with the founding of the city of Athens and with stimulating the so-called "Golden Age of Greece". The Greek architects Ictinos and Callicrates supervised the practical work of the construction. Alternate spellings for these names include Iktinos, Kallikrates, and Pheidias - there is no official transliteration of Greek into English.

Work on the building began in 447 BCE and continued until 438 BCE; some of the decorations were completed later. It was built over the site of an earlier temple, which is sometimes called the Pre-Parthenon.

Many treasures would have been displayed in the building, but the glory of the Parthenon was the gigantic statue of Athena designed by Phidias and made out of chryselephantine (elephant ivory) and gold.