The Parthenon Temple Size report

The Parthenon is the most important main building of the Acropolis. The name of the Parthenon comes from an alias of Athena. Parthenon in the Latin alphabet is the translation of Greek, meaning "virgin." The ancient castle center in the Acropolis of Athens, Greece, was built in 447 BC, covering an area of 2116 square meters.

The Parthenon Temple was first built in 447 BC. Nine years later, the temple was capped, and it took another six years for various sculptures to be completed. In 1687, the Venetians fought against the Turks, and the temple was destroyed. The Athenians partially restored the temple in the second half of the 19th century. It is a pity that this magnificent ancient building can no longer be restored to its original appearance. Now there is only an outer shell lined with stone pillars.

The Parthenon was an important part of the grand architectural plan of the Athenian statesman Perikles. The temple's grand scale and lavish decoration demonstrate the city's power and wealth at the height of its empire. The following post introduces more interesting facts about the size and structure of the Parthenon Temple.

The Parthenon Temple Size and Structure

The famous Parthenon Temple was built between 447 BC and 438 BC. It is located in the center of the Acropolis core complex and is dedicated to Athena, the city's patron saint. The Parthenon is built facing east, is rectangular, and stands on three steps. The main body of the temple is all made of white marble, and 46 marble columns surround the whole temple with grooves up to 10.3 meters. The temple's roof is a two-slope roof, and the east and west end of the roof form triangular gables with exquisite reliefs. The Parthenon adopts the Doric style of eight columns, with 8 on the east and west sides and 17 on the north and south sides.

A huge Athena statue stood in the temple's main hall. It was the masterpiece of the famous sculptor Pheidias, but the statue no longer exists, and only replicas are handed down. The temple is decorated with many exquisite marble statues designed and supervised by Pheidias. In the horizontal building structure that supports the roof, there are as many as 92 panels carved with mythology and battle fragments. As you can see, the statue-filled cella has almost completely disappeared. You can see many of these sculptures in the Acropolis Museum, but to see the magnificent original roofs, you must head to the British Museum in London.

Measurements of The Parthenon Temple

The Parthenon Temple is 31 meters wide from east to west and 70 meters long from north to south. The gable tops of the east and west facades are 19.2 meters above the ground. Each column is 10.3 meters high, and the diameter of the column base is nearly 2 meters. The gable tops of the east and west façades are 19 meters above the ground, and the height to width of the façade is 19:31, which is close to the "golden ratio" loved by the Greeks.

Final Words

The Parthenon is the largest temple in the world dedicated to the goddess Athena. The architectural design represents the highest level of architectural art in Greece. The temple not only expresses respect for the gods but also reflects the germination of Athenian democracy. The Parthenon has a long and tortuous history. Around 500 AD, the temple was transformed into a Christian church, and many relief decorations and statues were removed and destroyed. In 1687, the temple was used as a gunpowder magazine and was severely damaged in an explosion 1687. Since then, the former glorious temple has been reduced to ruins.