The Parthenon

The Parthenon is a famous temple on top of a hill called the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. It was built about 2,500 years ago to honor the goddess Athena. The ancient Greeks considered it one of their greatest buildings. Today, it is a symbol of ancient Greek culture and democracy.

How It Was Built

The Parthenon was built from white marble. It has 46 tall columns that hold up the roof. The builders used a clever trick to make it look perfect. The columns are slightly curved and tilted inward. This makes the building look straight and balanced to the human eye.

The Story of Athena

Inside the Parthenon, there was once a giant statue of the goddess Athena. The statue was about 40 feet tall and covered in gold and ivory. Athena was the goddess of wisdom and the protector of Athens. The city of Athens was named after her.

Fun Facts

• The Parthenon was built in just about 9 years, which was amazingly fast for such a large marble building.
• The marble blocks were carried from a mountain about 10 miles away.
• No two columns of the Parthenon are exactly the same size. Each one was custom carved.

Did You Know?

There is a full-size copy of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee. It was built in 1897 and even has a 42-foot statue of Athena inside!