User:Twospoonfuls/sandbox
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Parthenon (/ˈpɑːrθəˌnɒn, -nən/; Ancient Greek: Παρθενών, Parthenṓn, [par.tʰe.nɔ̌ːn]; Greek: Παρθενώνας, Parthenónas, [parθeˈnonas])[lower-greek 1] was the Doric temple[lower-greek 2] and treasury[lower-greek 3] on the Athenian Acropolis. It was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the tutelary deity of Athens. It was created to house the votive statue of Athena Parthenos, and was along with the Altar of Athena Polias and the Erechtheion the focus of the state cult of Athena. Construction started circa 447 BC when the Delian League under Athenian control was at the peak of its power, it was the centre-piece of the Periclean building programme. It was completed in 438 BC, although decoration of the building continued until 432 BC. A ruin since 1687, it is now conserved as a monument and archaeological site.