History of the Parthenon
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The Parthenon, one of the world’s most magnificent architectural creations, was built to pay tribute to Athena, a Greek goddess. Having been subject to destruction for over two millennia, it has not diminished the Parthenon’s universal appeal, and millions of visitors continue to flock to Athens to admire its beauty.
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Construction work for the Parthenon started after the Battle of Maration, which took place from 490 to 88 B.C., with the aim of dedicating the building to Athena Parthenos. Work however came to an abrupt halt in 480 B.C., when Persian forces took control of Athens and razed the Parthenon to the ground. That first attempt is still there for the world to see, and is called the Pre-Parthenon. It is also referred to as the Older Parthenon.
Athenians restarted work on the Parthenon a couple of decades after that. Work was started in 447 BC and completed in 432 B.C., though finishing touches were being added till 425 B.C. The Parthenon ended up becoming the shining jewel on Athen’s skyline when Pericles was reigning. This was primarily due to the efforts of sculptor Pheidias, and architects Iktinos and Kallikrates. All was well until the 5th century, as this was the time the structure ended up becoming a Christian church, known during the Byzantine era as the Church of the Parthenos Maria. Till the thirteenth century A.D, it was considered the 4th most holy place of pilgrimage for Christians living in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire. Later it was transformed into a Roman Catholic Church.
In 1456, the Ottoman Empire occupied Athens and turned the Parthenon into a mosque. It was during this time that a minaret was added to the structure. In fact, the stairway and the base of the minaret are still present to this day. Venetian troops caused the most destruction to the Parthenon on September 26, 1687.
The year 1975 saw Greek government make serious efforts to restore and renovate the building, with financial help being given by the European Union.
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