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The Parthenon was designed by Phidias, a famous sculptor, at the behest of Pericles, a Greek politician credited with the founding of the city of Athens and with stimulating the so-called "Golden Age of Greece" The Greek architects Ictinos and Callicrates supervised the practical work of the consturction Alternate spellings for these names include Iktinos, Kallikrates, and Pheidias - there is no official transliteration of Greek into English

What was in the Parthenon?
Many treasures would have been displayed in the building, but the glory of the Parthenon was the gigantic statue of Athena designed by Phidias and made out of chryselephantine (elephant ivory) and gold

When was the Parthenon built?
Work on the building began in 447 BCE and continued until 438 BCE; some of the decorations were completed later It was built over the site of an earlier temple which is sometimes called the Pre-Parthenon

How big is the Parthenon?
Experts differ on this because of variations in the way it is measured, and due to damage to the structure One common measurement is 111 feet by 228 feet, or 30

What does Parthenon mean? Why is it called the Parthenon?
The temple was sacred to two aspects of the Greek goddess Athena, Athena Polios ("of the city") and Athena Parthenos ("young maiden") The "on" ending means "place of", so "Parthenon" means "Place of the Parthenos"

Why is the Parthenon in ruins?
The Parthenon survived the ravages of time pretty well, serving as a church and then a mosque, until finally it was used as a munitions depot during the Turkish Occupation of Greece In 1687, during a battle with the Venetians, an explosion tore through the building and caused much of the damage seen today There was also a damaging fire in ancient times

What is the "Elgin Marbles" or "Parthenon Marbles" controversy?
Lord Elgin, an Englishman, claimed he received permission from the local Turkish authorities to remove whatever he wanted from the ruins of the Parthenon But based on surviving documents, he apparently interpreted even that "permission" quite liberally The Greek government has been demanding the return of the Parthenon Marbles

What is the Acropolis?
The Acropolis is the hill on which the Parthenon stands "Acro" means "high" and "polis" means "city" - so it is literally the "high city" Many other places in Greece have "an" acropolis but "The Acropolis" usually refers to the site of the Parthenon in Athens