Tour of Acropolis of Athens – Acropolis Is Site of the Parthenon
The Parthenon is the best known of all the ancient Greek buildings in the world. It was built almost 2,500 years ago, and the distinctive columns surrounding the Parthenon are of the simple Doric style. The Parthenon has a long, interesting history. Construction on the temple was begun in 447 BC, with most of the stone coming from Mount Pentelicus, about 10 miles from Athens. The most impressive piece of the temple was a huge statue of Athena designed by the famous sculptor Phidias and her skin was made out of chryselephantine (elephant ivory) and her clothing draperies of beaten gold. The Delian League moved its treasury from the Panhellenic sanctuary at Delos to the Acropolis in 454 BC, and the Parthenon became the most important temple to the Greek Goddess Athena. It kept this purpose for over 1,000 years. In the mid-fifth century AD, the Parthenon’s statue of Athena was looted by one of the Roman emperors and taken to Constantinople (now Istanbul), where it was destroyed during one
