The goddess Athena is the most bizarre (in terms of motivation) character in Greek mythology.

After all, she is the goddess of "smart" war, but at the same time she is trying to solve all issues by peace.

She despises the pettiness of the other Olympians and rarely intervenes in their conflicts.

But in the event of a threat to the Pantheon itself, Athena will be the first to join the battle.

The goddess Athena repeatedly served as the punishing sword of Olympus, punishing the most self-confident mortals, but it was she who founded the greatest city of Greece, and then remained to look after these mortals after the gods of Olympus were gone forever.

And it is not surprising that her greatest sanctuary, the legendary Parthenon, also faced a very difficult and sometimes simply amazing fate.

Where is

The Parthenon is located in the very center of the capital, on the Athenian Acropolis.
The center of Athens is easy to navigate. There are many pedestrian zones, and the sights are concentrated in a heap. It is impossible to get lost - two guiding hills rise above the main plane of the city: the Acropolis and Lycabettus.
The Acropolis (Akropolis) - translated from Greek: "upper city" - was built on a rocky hill 156 meters high, which served as a natural fortification during sieges.

The Parthenon in Ancient Greece

The Parthenon is located on top of the Acropolis, the nearest station of the Athens metro, from which you can get here, is called Akropolis.

The large pedestrian street Dionysiou Areopagitou leads from the center of Athens to the main attraction of Greece.
Walk straight along it without turning anywhere. Gradually rising up the mountain, it will lead you straight to the goal.

The Parthenon in Athens is visible from almost everywhere and looks especially beautiful at night when the lights are turned on.

Moreover, at first glance at the Acropolis, one can understand that the gods played a very important role in the life of the Greeks - it is literally crammed with various temples and sanctuaries of almost all more or less noticeable Olympians, from the mighty and formidable Zeus to the eternally drunk, but no less formidable Dionysus.

It is worth noting that the Parthenon is not the first sanctuary of the Acropolis dedicated to Athena. 200 years before its construction, not far from its current location, there was another temple - Hekatompedon. Scientists even admit that for some time, the temples existed in parallel.

The history of the temple, who built the Parthenon

Parthenon under restoration

Construction of the Parthenon began in 447 BC. The project is attributed to the architect Ikten, and the construction was led by Kallikrates, who was practically the court master of the ruler Pericles.

In addition to the Parthenon, Callicrates built several more temples on the Acropolis, and also actively participated in the worldly life of the city, bringing to mind and completing the project of the Long Walls, which then very unpleasantly surprised the Spartan army during the Pelloponessian Wars.

True, the offended Spartans still razed the walls to the ground thirty years later, but, alas (or maybe vice versa, fortunately), Callicrates did not catch this. In addition, the inhabitants of the city restored the walls and they served as a symbol of Athenian independence for another three hundred years.

The Parthenon is the main masterpiece of the master. The temple still did not turn out the way Kallikrates intended it to be. The construction took more than nine years, and all these years the Athenian government regularly reported to its people for every coin spent on the construction (archaeologists managed to find marble tablets with reports).

Holiday Panathineon

At the Panathenaic feast of 438 B.C. e., the temple was solemnly opened to visitors, but decorative works continued for another six years under the guidance of the sculptor Phidias, the successor of Callicrates and the creator of one of the seven Wonders of the World - the statue of Zeus at Olympia. For the Parthenon, Phidias created an equally beautiful statue of Athena Parthenos, which became the main decoration of the temple.

Alas, the glorious history of the sanctuary did not last even two hundred years - the last ruler who really honored Athena was Alexander the Great. After his visit to the temple in 323 B.C. e., Athens gradually slipped into tyranny, and later was repeatedly captured first by barbarian tribes, and then by the Romans. Around the same time, there was a big fire in the temple and the statue of Athena Parthenos was lost (however, by the time of the fire it was practically worthless - all the golden elements had been torn off in advance so that the then ruler of Athens could pay the soldiers).

Byzantine era of the Parthenon

After the fire, the temple was restored and it served last resort goddess for almost 800 years, until under Patriarch Paul III it was turned into Hagia Sophia.

All the treasures were taken to Constantinople, however, by that time there were not many of them left. The temple was significantly rebuilt, but on the whole retained its characteristic appearance.

But in 1458, Athens again changed its state affiliation, becoming part of the already Ottoman Empire.

The Turks placed a military garrison in the Acropolis, and the Parthenon was turned into a mosque, rebuilt once again and seriously damaged the paintings inside the temple. Interestingly, in addition to painting over all plots that contradicted Muslim culture, no other changes were made to the interior of the temple.

In 1687, during the war between the Ottomans and the Holy League, the Parthenon, which served as a warehouse and shelter for the Turks, was fired upon from the dominant height - Philopappou Hill. A direct hit on the powder magazine literally destroyed the temple, burying more than 300 Turks under it.

Parthenon in 1840

For the next two hundred years, the ruins of the Parthenon served as a historical monument, until their restoration began in the 1840s.

The process of restoring the main ancient temple is still going on, with varying success, but the fact that many archaeological discoveries have been made is difficult to deny.

True, in last years, the restoration project was frozen - after joining the EU, Greece simply did not have money left to restore monuments.

What did the Ancient Greek Parthenon look like?

The ancient Greek Parthenon was a truly majestic sight.

Sectional Parthenon

The basis of the temple is the stylobate that has survived to this day - a three-stage rise leading to the temple. The temple itself is a rectangular building, with a colonnade on each of the four sides. The dimensions of the base rectangle are 69.5 × 30.9 meters.

There were 8 columns on the facades of the temple, 17 more on the sides, which gives us a total of 48 supports (the corner columns are both elements of both the facade and the side part).

Interestingly, the columns were not perpendicular, but were located at an angle, leaning inward. Moreover, the angle of inclination of the corner columns is much smaller than that of the others. The columns themselves were classic examples of the Dorian order, although they were unusually large.

One of the surviving friezes of the Parthenon

Inside the temple, two additional steps were made, which led to the central platform, surrounded from the facades by 12 more columns.
The platform was divided into three naves, a large central one and two small ones on the sides. The central nave was surrounded on three sides by 21 columns. In its center was the same, later missing, statue of Athena Parthenos.

The inner frieze of the temple was made in the Ionic style and depicted a festive procession on the last day of the Panathenaic.

A total of 96 plates of this frieze survived, most of them in british museum. The Greek government has been trying in vain for decades to return the marble fragments of the Parthenon decoration to their historical place.

As for the exterior, little is known about it. The pediments of the Parthenon were destroyed in the Middle Ages, so they are restored mainly by guesswork.

The eastern pediment could depict the birth of Athena, but the details of the sculptures are almost gone. Western, most likely, shows the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for the possession of Attica. In total, 30 statues from the pediments have survived, but their condition is rather deplorable, especially those that were in the British Museum at the end of the 20th century - they were subjected to a rather barbaric cleaning.

The outer friezes of the Parthenon are slightly better preserved - at least it is known exactly what was depicted on them.

On the eastern side of the temple, the history of the war of the centaurs and Lapiths was captured, on the western side - the Trojan War, on the north - gigantomachia, and on the south - scenes from the battle of the Greeks and the Amazons.

Most of the surviving high reliefs are in the Athens Museum, and their exact copies are gradually taking their places in the restored Parthenon.

Statue of Athena

The most successful copy of the famous statue of Phidias

The statue of Athena is described as one of Phidias' greatest works. The statue of the goddess was made of wood covered with gold (about a ton) and decorated with ivory.

Instead of emphasizing the inaccessibility and aloofness of the deity (as he did with Olympian Zeus), Phidias portrayed Athena as simple and close to his people.

The statue was relatively low (13 meters) and depicted a proudly standing Athena, holding a spear in one hand, and a two-meter figure of the goddess of victory Nike in the other.

The head of the goddess was decorated with a three-crested helmet, and at her feet was a shield depicting scenes from battles.

Alas, the statue cost the architect of the Parthenon his life - in an impulse to perpetuate not only the divine Athena, but also himself, the master entered into one of the scenes decorating the shield of the goddess, a bald old man with a sculptor's hammer.

Phidias on the shield sculpture of Athena the Virgin

The Athenians did not appreciate the humor and condemned it for blasphemy. Phidias died in prison.

The famous statue was probably destroyed in a fire, presumably in the 5th century BC. e., but there are several copies of varying degrees of accuracy.

The most reliable, called "Athena Varvarikon", can be seen in the national archaeological museum.

Modern Parthenon

Modern Parthenon

It makes no sense to describe in detail what the Parthenon looks like today - Greek archaeologists and builders brought it as close as possible to the ancient temple.

Of course, all the gloss and beauty of the sculptures of the Parthenon are lost, but the building is still amazing.

Every year the temple becomes more beautiful, and the stories of the guides more and more impressive, so visiting the Parthenon is a process that is interesting to repeat every few years.

How much does it cost to visit

Surviving sculptures on the pediment of the roof of the Parthenon

Access to the main monument of ancient architecture of the Hellenes is open from 8.30 to 18.00.
It is recommended to visit it in the early hours or in the evening, when the heat is not particularly strong and the influx of tourists is not very large. At the entrance there is a small stall selling sparkling water and freshly squeezed juices (4.5 euros). Please note that they will not let you inside with a glass, and the glass is quite large.

Stock up on a bottle of water, upstairs in front of the entrance and to the left there are fountains and a toilet.
Entry with large bags is also prohibited, but there are lockers on site where you can leave them.

There are several entrances and ticket offices, including from the side of the museum and on the southeast side, near the theater of Dionysus.

The queue at the box office from the side of the museum is usually smaller.

The ticket price for entering the territory of the Parthenon (12 euros) includes a visit to 6 attractions, including the temple of Olympian Zeus, the Ancient and Roman Agora, the theater of Dionysus and the ancient area of ​​​​Athens - Keramik.
The ticket is valid for 4 days.

The ancient temple of the Parthenon in Athens is not only a grandiose monument. This is also national symbol Greece, which the country is very proud of.

Incredibly beautiful in its simplicity, the building has withstood the test of time and fell only under heavy cannon shells made millennia after the construction of the last sanctuary of Athena.

Isn't it worthy of admiration before the work of ancient masters!

Although the temple Greek goddess has been under restoration for a long time and surrounded by scaffolding, being near it is an amazing and exciting feeling.
If you happen to visit Athens, be sure to visit the Parthenon - a great spirit ancient Hellas, frozen in Pentelian marble.

Greece is famous all over the world, first of all, for its glorious ancient history, which left incredible volumes cultural monuments. So, in the capital of the country, on a high hill, the monumental marble Parthenon, the main sanctuary of ancient Athens, rises above the bustle of the city. Almost 2.5 thousand years have passed since the construction of this majestic structure, which managed to survive all the troubles and hardships that fell on it. Today, this temple is protected by the UNESCO World Organization and is gradually returning its former luxurious appearance to its facades.

The Parthenon (Greek: Παρθενών, English the Parthenon) is a classical ancient Greek temple in Athens, distinguished by unique architectural forms.

It is impossible to tell the story of the construction of this sanctuary without mentioning in which city and which country the Parthenon is located, as well as what customs and beliefs reigned at the time of its construction. Therefore, first we will make a short historical excursion to ancient Athens and get acquainted with the deity to whom the Parthenon is dedicated to this day.

Patroness of Athens

Ancient Greece was dominated by a polytheistic religious system based on the myths of the different Gods of Ancient Greece. In connection with the Parthenon, we are interested in the main god - Zeus, and his daughter Athena.

The myth says that Zeus was predicted to have a daughter, followed by a son who would overthrow him from the throne. Therefore, when the wife of Metis (Wisdom) became pregnant from him, the Supreme God did not find anything better than to swallow her. But the child of love did not want to give up, and soon Zeus began to have an unbearable headache. Unable to endure the torment, he ordered to cut his head, and so his daughter Athena was born. Wisdom was reflected in the eyes of the girl, and on her body she wore military vestments, for which she was called the Goddess of justice, wisdom, military tactics and strategy.

Unlike other deities, Athena did not stay too long on Olympus, but paid attention to ordinary people. She gave them many knowledge and crafts, taught them to draw up laws and conduct state affairs, and helped restore justice in disputes and battles. For her care, the grateful people of Greece greatly honored the wise and generous Athena and sought to build in her honor the best of the Greek temples.

Athena

After a dispute with Poseidon, wisely resolved by King Kekrop, Athena became the patroness of the most important cultural and political center ancient greece- the city of Athens. Therefore, it was decided that it was the Acropolis of Athens that would place the Parthenon on its lands.

And if we delve deeper into history, then it is worth mentioning that the one who has come down to us architectural complex was a predecessor. The first temple built on this site was Hekatompedon, also dedicated to Athena. Unfortunately, as a result of the Persian attack, the structure failed to survive. When the Athenians won the war, they began to restore the old Hekatompedon with even greater enthusiasm and build a new, larger and more luxurious Parthenon temple in recaptured Athens.

Construction of the Parthenon

The construction of a new sanctuary began in 447. The location of the temple was chosen immediately. It is located in the upper city: the majestic Parthenon and the sacred Acropolis in the minds of the Greeks were to become one.

The decision to build the temple was made by the Athenian ruler Pericles, despite the fact that the construction of the Parthenon required large financial investments. The construction budget included 450 talents, an unheard-of amount for the Greeks, because in those days a whole ship was built for 1 talent! Indignation and murmuring arose among the people, but Pericles managed to convince people of the need to honor Athena unprecedented beauty and power adorned the Acropolis Parthenon.

The architect of the building was Kallikrates, and the project of the future shrine was developed by Iktin. It was this master who achieved a unique optical perception of the temple with the eye, having come up with the idea of ​​making the columns of the Parthenon not perfectly even and at an angle. The famous sculptor Phidias (the author of the Statue of Zeus at Olympia) was responsible for the external and internal decoration of the shrine, as well as the sculptures decorating the pediments of the Parthenon.

The architectural type of the temple is decorated in a classical Greek style and is a Doric perimeter surrounded by columns. There are a total of 50 columns on all sides of the Parthenon: 8 per central facades, and 17 on the side. Unlike the Colosseum, the colonnade of the classical Parthenon allows you to view the facade of three sides of the building from one point. The height of the erected temple was 14 m, width 31 m and length 70 m.

The Parthenon was finally built in 438, and in the same year the temple was consecrated at the Feast of Panathea. However, even 6 years after the official opening, Phidias decorated the pediments and friezes of the erected Parthenon. He also invented and sculpted the sculpture of Athena Parthenos (Virgo, Virgin), in honor of which the sanctuary got its name.

Periods of decline and rebirth

The Temple of Athena Parthenon, located in the city center on the Acropolis, has experienced a lot over the years. Short description The history of the Parthenon is as follows.

After the construction, the temple was revered for about 100 years. Its last patron was Alexander the Great, who presented the shrine with 14 shields for the eastern pediment and the armor of defeated warriors. Dark days awaited the Parthenon after his death.

The rulers allowed themselves to plunder the precious decor of the temple and turn the shrine almost into a brothel. And in the 3rd century BC. a major fire broke out in the building, destroying part of the roof, ceilings and doors of the shrine. He also caused the sculpture of Athena Parthenos to disappear without a trace. After the fire, the temple was restored, but the Parthenon looked a little different.

After 800 years, the ancient sanctuary was destined to turn into a Christian cathedral. All ancient riches were taken to Constantinople, and the temple itself was rebuilt a little in a new way. Centuries passed, and in the 15th century, the Parthenon became a Muslim mosque, because. Athens was captured by the Turks. They painted over all the plots that contradicted their faith, but the interior decoration was not affected in any way.

Later, in 1687, during the war, ammunition was stored here. The shelling of the Acropolis from a height and a direct hit on the boxes of gunpowder literally turned the Parthenon into ruins. For two hundred years, these fragments stood on the hill, as a memory of the past glorious past. In 1840, attention was again paid to the ancient sanctuary and it was decided to carry out its restoration. With varying degrees of success, this process continues to this day.

Where is the Parthenon and how to get to it

In the minds of many travelers, first of all, Greece is Athens and the Parthenon.

Tourists do not have to wander through the streets of Athens for a long time, looking for the place where the ancient Parthenon is located. It is very easy to find him, because. the main temple of Athens, like the Roman Pantheon, is located in the historical center of the capital.

The guiding landmark is the Acropolis - the main sanctuary in Greece, located on an elevated hill. To get to it, you should take the red line of the local metro and get to the Akropolis station of the same name. You will come out to the pedestrian street Dionysiou Areopagitou, which, smoothly rising uphill, will lead you straight to the Temple of Athena.

Street Dionysiou Areopagitou

Features of the architecture of the Parthenon

Unfortunately, the Parthenon, the ancient Greek temple of the goddess Athena and a monument of ancient architecture, has not survived to this day in all its glory. According to the surviving descriptions of the architectural complex, it was an innovation and a breakthrough in the Greek architecture of that time.

Surrounded by Doric columns, the Temple of the goddess of wisdom, Athena, was to become the most majestic and luxurious building in Greece. But due to subsequent actions of Christian and Muslim invaders, the temple lost most of the elements of antique decor.

The eastern pediment of the building was decorated with the sculptural composition "The Birth of Athena", and the western part was dedicated to the dispute between Athena and Poseidon for patronage over the Greek capital. Historical scenes contained friezes and metopes of the Parthenon. In particular, they depicted the battle of the gods with giants, as well as battles with the Amazons, episodes of the Trojan War and solemn processions.

The statue of Athena, made of wood and decorated with gold and ivory, deserves special attention. Phidias did not regret the brilliance and grandeur of his statue of a whole ton of gold, and the descendants plundered it already a century after the construction of the temple.

But distinctive features architectural solutions are hidden not in the decor, but in the foundation of the temple.

layout

The height of the Acropolis provides natural protection during the siege, so that the defensive function in the construction of the temple was not thought.

At the base of the building there is a three-stage rise, on which a rectangular building is based, surrounded by a colonnade. Columns are almost the central part of the Parthenon, because thanks to them the idea of ​​an ideal optical perception of forms is embodied.

The inner part of the sanctuary was separated from the columns by two more steps. The length of the temple from the inside was 60 m, with a width of 22 m. The building housed a large platform with a statue of Athena, also surrounded by columns along the perimeter. On the sides of it were two more small rooms. The inner friezes of the Parthenon depicted a festive procession of virgins to the Acropolis with gifts to the wise Athena, the patroness of the city, as narrated by the relief on the western pediment.

Material and technology

Most of the shrine was built of stone.

Blocks of Pentelian marble were chosen as the building material for the building. At the same time, the blocks were laid “dry”, i.e. without the addition of cement or other mortar. To do this, each stone was carefully turned and adjusted to a certain size. The roof of the temple was also laid out of marble, but the floors were wooden.

It is noteworthy that the properties of the material created another uniqueness of the Parthenon. This type of marble absorbs the sun's rays well, changing its color to golden. Therefore, on the south side, where the sun is very hot, the temple was painted in a yellow-gold color, and on the north, the building casts an ash-gray tint.

sculptural ensemble

As part of the decorative decoration, Iktin and Kallikrates transferred their powers to the Great Phidias.

The main sculpture, of course, was the statue of Athena Parthenos, located in the center of the temple. Many reliefs with historical and mythological subjects were located on metopes, friezes and pediments. There were many figures of historical characters in the Parthenon.

But, unfortunately, a small part of the sculptures has survived to our times. The Greeks managed to save 30 statues, 96 frieze parts and 57 metopes.

Parthenon - past and present

Pericles told his contemporaries that the construction of the Parthenon would be a reason for posterity to be proud of their predecessors. And he turned out to be right. Today the Acropolis and the Parthenon are one. the temple is the central element of the ancient sanctuary. And even if the statue of the goddess Athena Parthenos is lost, and the friezes and pediments of the Parthenon are destroyed, modern Greeks are proud of their historical past.

They seek to restore the shrine in its original form: such as it was in its best ancient times. And although the beginning of the construction of the restored temple began almost 2 centuries ago, unfortunately, it has not yet been completed, because. Not all jobs are funded. AT modern world political and economic difficulties must be reckoned with, so that the monuments of the past are relegated to the background. But the Greeks believe that the day will surely come when the Parthenon will shine in its former glory.

Visiting the Parthenon

Entrance to the territory of the Acropolis is paid: the ticket price is 12 euros. For this amount, you can see not only the Parthenon, but also other sights located on the hill. And this is the Temple of Zeus, and the theater of Dionysus, and the Roman Agora and the oldest district of the city - Keramik. The acquired penetration will be valid for 4 days, so you can slowly explore and capture ancient Greek architecture in photos and videos.

Access to the territory is open from 8.30 to 18.00. If you do not like the neighborhood of numerous tourists, then it is better to choose to visit the morning hours. It should also be noted that you can approach the Acropolis from different sides: there are several ticket offices and gates. The least loaded entrances are at the museum and at the theater of Dionysus.

In front of the cash desks there are small stalls where you can buy soda or freshly squeezed juice. Keep in mind that no one will let you go to the sights with a glass of juice, so it's better to buy drinks in bottles or cans. Also, before entering the territory, you must leave large bags and backpacks in special storage rooms. Another prohibition worth noting is that it is strictly forbidden to touch the monuments of the past with your hands.

The restrictions should be treated with understanding, since they are aimed at better preserving the bits of Antique glory that have barely come down to us. The precipitate from these small inconveniences will be forgotten at the first glance at the unique masterpieces ancient architecture and sculptures.

In contact with

Classmates

Janos Korom Dr. / flickr.com Parthenon in Athens (Panoramas / flickr.com) János Korom Dr. / flickr.com Chris Brown / flickr.com Parthenon, 1985 (Nathan Hughes Hamilton / flickr.com) The Parthenon rises on the Acropolis (Roger W / flickr.com) jjmusgrove / flickr.com Nicholas Doumani / flickr.com claire rowland / flickr. com Dennis Jarvis / flickr.com The Parthenon at night (Arian Zwegers / flickr.com) psyberartist / flickr.com George Rex / flickr.com Reconstruction of the Parthenon (Emiliano Felicissimo / flickr.com) Comrade Foot / flickr.com In front of the Parthenon (Kristoffer Trolle / flickr.com)

The Acropolis of Athens Parthenon is the most outstanding religious building and the greatest monument of ancient Greek architecture. Built in the 5th c. BC, the temple struck its contemporaries with its size and grandeur, and continues to amaze and interest eyewitnesses of the modern era.

The temple of Athena the Virgin in the city named after her was the main cult object of the ancient Hellenes. For the inhabitants of the city of Athens, it became consonant with the meaning of the words of prosperity and well-being.

Such a reverent attitude is explained by the fact that it was dedicated to the goddess Athena, who was considered the patroness of the city and ancient greece.

The word "Parthenon" in the language of the ancient Hellenes meant "pure". In other words, Athena became the forerunner of the "Pure Virgin Mary" in the Christian religion. Also, the goddess was an ancient Greek invariant of the widespread archetype of the “mother goddess”.

Legend of Goddess Athena

Interestingly, Zeus himself gave birth to Athena. According to ancient Greek myths the supreme god of Olympus was foreshadowed by death at the hands of his son.

In front of the Parthenon (Kristoffer Trolle / flickr.com)

Fearing the fulfillment of the words of the prophecy, the Thunderer swallowed his wife Metis, who was carrying a child under her heart.

However, the prediction did not come true - a daughter was born who came out of the head of Zeus (the heavenly ruler himself ordered to cut his skull, because he could not stand the torment).

Athena, like her brother Ares, became the patroness of wars. But unlike her divine relative, she stopped injustice and advocated the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

According to ancient Greek mythology, it was Athena who gave people crafts, in particular, she taught women weaving. In addition, the goddess contributed to the development of science and philosophy.

The Hellenes, who valued the intellectual factor of life above all, decided to thank their patroness by erecting the most majestic temple in the history of mankind in her honor.

Where is the Parthenon located?

The temple of the warrior maiden is located in the very center of the modern capital of Greece, on the Athenian Acropolis and is visible even from the most remote point of the city. The word "Acropolis" meant "Upper City". And this city performed defensive functions - the Athenians hid behind its walls, waiting for the siege.

Acropolis - home of the gods

One glance at the Acropolis is enough to understand that the gods played a primary role in the life of the inhabitants of ancient Greece - its entire territory is dissected by temples and sanctuaries dedicated to almost all the gods of Olympus.

The buildings of the Acropolis amaze with the genius of architectural thought and serve as classic examples of the use of the golden section in construction.

The Greeks valued the correctness and proportionality of forms so much that even in plastic art they applied the rules of the golden section.

The Parthenon in Athens is not the first building of the Acropolis erected in honor of Athena. Even 200 years before him, the goddess was glorified in the temple of Hekatompedon. According to ancient historians, both sanctuaries actually existed in parallel until the first fell into decay.

Today, the monastery of Athena is a ruin, carved with traces of numerous destructions, but they still retain the stamp of their former greatness. The temple is the hallmark of Athens and all of Greece.

Every year, crowds of tourists interested in history tend to the foot of the Acropolis to touch the history.

Acropolis of Athens (© A.Savin, Wikimedia Commons)

Who built the Parthenon?

The construction of the main temple of Athens, the Parthenon, dates back to 447 BC. e. The building was designed by the famous architect of antiquity Ikten. The construction was carried out by Kallikrates, the court architect of the ruler Pericles, who initiated the construction.

Parthenon, 1985 (Nathan Hughes Hamilton / flickr.com)

Under the guidance of the master, other objects of the Acropolis were also erected, and more than a dozen civil objects of Athens. All projects of the master are built in best traditions architecture of ancient Greece - using the principle of the golden section.

The temple of the goddess Athena was originally part of an extensive program of the Athenian ruler Pericles to improve the city.

An interesting fact is that 450 talents were spent on its construction. Considering that for 1 talent it was possible to build 1 warship, we can say that Pericles left his empire without a navy, but gave the world one of the unique architectural monuments.

The construction of the temple lasted 9 years, and in 438 BC. e. he opened his doors. However, for another 6 years, finishing work was carried out, which was led by Phidias, who went down in history thanks to an interesting fact of his creative biography.

Parthenon at night (Arian Zwegers / flickr.com)

The master is the creator of one of the seven Wonders of the World - a sculpture of Zeus in Olympia. For the new temple, the sculptor created a statue of Athena Parthenos - an eleven-meter sculpture made of ivory and gold. It was a rich gift for the revered goddess.

The monument has not reached our days, and we can judge its beauty only from the preserved ancient sources.

The interior of the temple was filled with numerous sculptural compositions and statues of gods. Many of them are irretrievably lost. Some are kept in museums around the world. Statues from the Parthenon can be seen in the Hermitage.

Most of the surviving heritage is in the London Museum - these are statues and metopes, bought back in the 19th century. from the Ottoman government. Currently, Greece is working to return the exhibits to their native land.

Features of the architectural solution

The Parthenon temple was in many ways an innovative structure. His appearance and design findings at one time amazed contemporaries and still arouse research interest.

Architecture of the Parthenon (George Rex / flickr.com)

The temple was actually completely built of Pendelian marble, which cost a lot of money, and the decoration abounded in gold.

Under the influence of sunlight, the southern facade acquired a golden hue over time. The north side of the building, which was less exposed to radiation, had its original gray color.

The temple of the warrior goddess is located on the highest point of the Acropolis, and in the rays of the setting sun, a visual effect of a golden glow is created.

At the same time, observers get the impression that the temple is small. As you approach, the panorama expands and the building "suppresses" with its massiveness.

Hyperbolic diagram of the curvature of the Parthenon (© A.Erud, Wikimedia Commons)

From the side, there is a visual image that the building has an ideal straight structure. In fact, most of the architectural elements are devoid of straight lines:

• the upper parts of the steps have a slight deflection in the center, the columns are somewhat thickened in the center, while the corner ones have a larger volume compared to the rest;
• The pediments of the Parthenon face inward, while the entablature protrude outward.

All these optical techniques actually made it possible to create the illusion of perfect straightness. In addition, the principle of the golden section was used in the construction of the temple.

The outer facade of the building was decorated with numerous metopes - relief images of the gods: Zeus, Apollo, winged Nike, etc. The Parthenon, like all the sanctuaries of ancient Greece, was painted in bright colors.

Dominant in the color palette were shades of red, blue and gold. Over time, they were worn out and we can only judge the beauty of the building according to the words of ancient scrolls.

Parthenon - temple of three religions

The fate of the Parthenon was such that it became a place where the words of three religions sounded - paganism, Orthodoxy and Islam. The history of the greatness of the temple did not last long.

Parthenon, Acropolis of Athens (Carole Raddato / flickr.com)

The last ruler to honor the wise goddess was Alexander the Great. In the future, Athens was subjected to numerous captures. The temple was plundered, the gilding was removed from the statues, and the sculptures themselves were barbarously destroyed. However, the cult of the goddess Athena was so high among the Athenians that the sanctuary was restored by the incredible forces of the townspeople, despite the fact that the treasury was actually plundered.

After the restoration, the temple operated for another 800 years and became the last refuge of paganism on the territory of modern Greece. With the advent of Christian power, pagan traditions in the city were still strong. In order to stop idolatry in the IV century. n. e. the monastery of Athena was turned into an Orthodox church in the name of Holy Mother of God.

The building was rebuilt in accordance with the canons of Orthodox architecture, but in general it looked the same as before. In a new incarnation, the temple began to attract pilgrims from all over the Orthodox world. Emperors and commanders came running for words of support from the ministers of the new "old" shrine.

Reconstruction of the Parthenon (Emiliano Felicissimo / flickr.com)

In the XV century. Greece fell under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. The new authorities, first of all, hastened to get rid of Christian symbols, and this time the Parthenon acquired the features of Muslim mosques. However, in addition to the excision of Christian stories and words, no fundamental changes in the external appearance of the temple did not happen. In the 17th century During the military clash between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League, the walls of the Parthenon were almost destroyed.

In 1840, restoration work began, which breathed new life into the religious building. The process of recovery with varying degrees of success continues today.

Today, the fate of the Parthenon is once again under threat. The financial problems that began after the country's accession to the EU became the main obstacles to the revival of the greatest monument of history.

The ruins rise, which used to be both a pagan temple in honor of the goddess Athena, and a Christian one in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos, and, finally, a Muslim mosque. They are recognized at first sight even by those who have never been to Greece, their photographs are so replicated. These are the ruins of one of the most famous temples in the world. Its name is the Parthenon.

Temple laying and construction

The ancient Greeks knew how to be grateful. They decided to erect a temple to the patroness of their city, in gratitude for her help in the battle with the Persians at Marathon.

For its construction, they chose the elevated and fortified part of the upper city - the Acropolis, and in 488 they made a solemn laying. The architect of the Parthenon chose this place not by chance. Previously, there were earlier temples built in honor of other pagan gods.

The size of the former temples was small, and for their construction it was not necessary to increase the area of ​​​​the upper part of the hill. In this case, it was supposed to erect something grandiose, and for this purpose it was necessary to build on the south side and, having laid lime blocks in its base, raise the edge of the construction site by 7 meters.

Work had been going on for eight years, and the second drum of columns was being built when the city was captured by the Persians. In the fire, the fruits of eight years of labor perished, and construction was not resumed for more than 30 years.

Construction of a new temple

Work continued in 447 BC. Power in Athens then belonged to Pericles, a proud and ambitious ruler. The construction of the temple was part of a plan he conceived, as a result of which Athens was to take a leading position, both in the military field, and in economic and cultural. The implementation of the plan was also facilitated by the fact that by that time the treasury of the Delian maritime union had been transferred to the city, which facilitated the solution of financial problems associated with construction. And there were indeed problems.

History has kept interesting information. Pericles allocated 450 silver talents from the military budget for the work. The size of the amount can be judged by the fact that the construction of one warship in those years cost one talent. Consequently, the cost of building the temple is comparable to the cost of creating a huge military fleet, consisting of 450 ships. When the extent of the costs became known to the townspeople, they accused Pericles of extravagance. To this, the ruler replied that he was ready to bear the costs at his own expense, but in this case he reserves the right to perpetuate all the elements of the structure. The people did not want to give up glory to the ruler and agreed to finance the project from the city treasury.

This question arises, probably, for everyone who sees the Athenian architectural masterpiece for the first time. The honor of its creation belongs to the outstanding architects, whose names have come down to us - Iktin and Kallikrat. According to some sources, Karpion and his assistants also took part in the work. The famous sculptor Phidias supervised the overall progress of the work, but his main duty was to create the sculptural decoration of the temple, which, given its grandiose size, was a very large-scale task. Thus, speaking about who built the Parthenon, one should mean not one architect, but a whole group of co-authors.

Changes in the appearance of the temple

What the Parthenon looked like in its original form is now difficult to say with complete certainty. The fact is that throughout his long life, he repeatedly changed his appearance. Back in the 2nd century BC, a strong fire occurred in the temple, after which significant restoration work was required. Its splendor also suffered from the evil will of the rulers. For example, in 298 BC, Lahar, who ruled at that time, went down in history as an unbridled tyrant, ordered that gold jewelry be removed from the sculpture of Athena.

The creator of the Parthenon erected a temple in honor of the pagan goddess. But in the history of Greece, the period that is commonly called the Byzantine period began, and fate would have it that in 426 AD the pagan temple turned into a Christian church. Initially, it was consecrated in honor of St. Sophia. The architect of the Parthenon did not assume, of course, that his brainchild was destined to embody all the elements inherent in the architecture of Christian churches, but that is exactly what happened.

Reconstruction of the temple according to Christian canons

According to the tradition established in ancient times, the entrance to the pagan temple was on the east side. The architect, designing the building, took into account this requirement. But according to the canons of Christian architecture, the entrance is always made from the western side, and the altar is placed from the eastern side. This is the law. In the process of rebuilding the temple in accordance with the new requirements, an altar apse was built on the site of the former entrance, and the entrance, accordingly, was moved to the western side. In addition, other changes were made to the layout of the building. A bell tower was erected in the southwestern part of the temple. The completion of the reconstruction was in 662 the consecration of the temple in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos. For almost eight centuries, Christian prayers were offered up under its vaults, until in 1460 the city was captured by Turkish troops.

temple destruction

Together with the whole country, the Parthenon temple also experienced hard times. Greece was under occupation, and the Christian shrine was turned into a Muslim mosque. After 27 years, the Venetian army under the command of F. Morosini tried to storm Athens. Defending themselves, the Turks used the Parthenon as a powder warehouse. This had disastrous consequences for the building. A red-hot cannonball fired from a Venetian gun, breaking through the roof, caused a terrible explosion. As a result, the entire central part of the building collapsed. No repairs were made after that. On top of all the troubles, the locals stole fragments of marble, from which they burned lime.

The temple suffered final damage in early XIX century. The British ambassador to the Ottoman court received permission to export the sculptures preserved in it. Since then, for ten years, the creations of ancient Greek sculptors left Athens to become part of the expositions of the largest museums in the world.

Restoration of the colonnade of the temple

In 1928, work began, the purpose of which was to install the fallen blocks and columns of the Parthenon in their original place. To carry out the work, a scientific commission was created, which included specialists from different countries. Their collaboration lasted two years. As a result, the northern colonnade was partially restored in the form it was designed by the architect of the Parthenon.

What did the temple look like in ancient times? It was built according to the canons of a classical ancient Greek temple - a rectangle surrounded by columns. Despite its massiveness, it looked elegant thanks to the strict thoughtfulness of its layout. The temple was decorated with sculptures of the great Phidias, and in the center stood a thirteen-meter sculpture of the goddess Athena, decorated with gold and ivory.

It is generally accepted that the architect of the Parthenon built the building, which is a masterpiece among the buildings of the Doric style. Once the Athenian ruler Pericles, persuading the intractable townspeople to fork out for the construction of the temple, predicted that it would be the pride of the Greeks for many, many centuries. Time has proven him right.