The Parthenon Research Paper

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The Parthenon is the most significant and surviving construction of all of Classical Greece, and still dominates the city of Athens today while continuing to remain as their international symbol. Despite its massive size the structure was built in only a 15 year time period ; 447-432 BC, costing 469 silver talents. The structure was originally designed to repair the previous temple that was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. The Parthenon sits on the Acropolis of Athens which is an elevated ground typically on a hillside for either defensive purpose or for status. The Parthenon was dedicated to a goddess of wisdom; Athena, further explaining its ideal location as it overlooks the alluring city of Athens and Aegean sea. However, to many the …show more content…
The Parthenon represents the goddess of Athena who was the goddess of wisdom, intelligent activity, literature and arts, “Inside the temple stood a colossal statue representing Athena, patron goddess of the city. The statue, which no longer exists, was made of gold and ivory and was the work of the celebrated sculptor Pheidias.” Athena was always depicted to be fierce and brave in her battle efforts which could potentially be the reasoning for her statute choices in which she has an armored helmet and holding an owl. Due to the fact that Athena only has an armored helmet on rather than full gear this statue may have been created during a time of Peace for Athens. Regardless, this statuette symbols the desire for power and perfection that all Greeks citizens continued to strive for in all of their lives. Most temples in Greece were specifically designed to be seen only from the exterior, you could normally only glance in the interior, this is where the Parthenon differed. Due to the beautiful sculpture of Athena in the interior the Parthenon was designed in a way which allowed for a smooth transition existing between the interior and exterior using aesthetic

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