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| sculptures by phidias | |
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(roof tiles) forming the roof is visible, resting on wooden supports]] The Parthenon ( Athena built in the 5th century BC on the Acropolis Of Athens . It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece , generally considered to be the culmination of the development of the Doric Order . Its decorative sculptures are considered one of the high points of Greek Art . The Parthenon is regarded as an enduring symbol of ancient Greece and of Athenian Democracy , and is one of the world's greatest cultural monuments. The Greek Ministry Of Culture is currently carrying out a program of restoration and reconstruction.1 The Parthenon replaced an older temple of Athena, called the Pre-Parthenon or Older Parthenon , that was destroyed in the Persian Invasion of 480 BC. Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as a Treasury , and for a time served as the treasury of the Delian League , which later became the Athenian Empire . In the 6th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian Church dedicated to the Virgin . After the Ottoman Conquest , it was converted into a Mosque in the early 1460s . On September 28 , 1687 , an Ottoman ammunition dump inside the building was ignited by Venetian bombardment. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures. In 1806, Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl Of Elgin removed some of the surviving sculptures, with Ottoman permission. These sculptures, now known as the Elgin or Parthenon Marbles , were sold in 1816 to the British Museum in London , where they are now displayed. The Greek government is committed to the return of the sculptures to Greece, so far with no success. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION The first endeavour to build a sanctuary for Athena Parthenos on the site of the present Parthenon was begun shortly after the Battle Of Marathon (c. 490-88 BC) upon a massive limestone foundation that extended and leveled the southern part of the Acropolis summit. This building replaced a hekatompedon (meaning "hundred-footer") and would have stood beside the archaic temple dedicated to Athena Polias. The Older Or Pre-Parthenon , as it is frequently referred to, was still under construction when the Persians sacked the city in 480 BC and razed the Acropolis.Hurwit, ''The Parthenon and the Tample of Zeus'', 135 Venieri, Acropolis of Athens - History In the mid-5th century BC, when th Acropolis became the seat of the Delian League and Athens was the greatest cultural centre of its time, Pericles initiated an ambitious building project which lasted the entire second half of the fifth century BC. The most important buildings visible on the Acropolis today - that is, the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike, were erected during this period. Parthenon was built under the general supervision of the sculptor Phidias , who also had charge of the sculptural decoration. The Architect s, Iktinos and Kallikrates , began in 447 BC, and the building was substantially completed by 432, but work on the decorations continued until at least 431. Some of the financial accounts for the Parthenon survive and show that the largest single expense was transporting the stone from Mount Pentelicus , about 16 kilometers from Athens, to the Acropolis. The funds were partly drawn from the treasury of the Delian League , which was moved from the Panhellenic sanctuary at Delos to the Acropolis in 454 BC. Although the nearby Temple Of Hephaestus is the most complete surviving example of a Doric Order temple, the Parthenon, in its day, was regarded as the finest. The temple, wrote John Julius Norwich , "Enjoys the reputation of being the most perfect Doric Temple ever built. Even in antiquity, its architectural refinements were legendary, especially the subtle correspondence between the curvature of the Stylobate , the taper of the Naos walls and the ''entasis'' of the columns."John Julius Norwich, ''Great Architecture of the World'', 2001, p.63 The stylobate is the platform on which the columns stand. It curves upwards slightly for optical reasons. ''Entasis'' refers to the slight tapering of the columns as they rise, to counter the optical effect of looking up at the temple. The effect of these subtle curves is to make the temple appear more symmetrical than it actually is. Measured at the top step, the dimensions of the base of the Parthenon are 69.5 meters by 30.9 meters (228.0 x 101.4 ft). The Cella was 29.8 metres long by 19.2 metres wide (97.8 x 63.0 ft), with internal Doric colonnades in two tiers, structurally necessary to support the roof. On the exterior, the Doric Columns measure 1.9 meters (6.2 ft) in diameter and are 10.4 meters (34.1 ft) high. The corner columns are slightly larger in diameter. The Parthenon had 46 outer pillars and 19 inner pillars in total. The Stylobate has an upward curvature towards its center of 60 millimeters (2.36 in) on the east and west ends, and of 110 millimeters (4.33 in) on the sides. The roof was covered with large overlapping marble tiles known as Imbrices And Tegulae . SCULPTURAL DECORATION The Parthenon, an in 432. By the year 438, the sculptural decoration of the Doric metopes on the frieze above the exterior colonnade, and of the Ionic frieze around the upper portion of the walls of the Cella , had been completed. The richness of the Parthenon's frieze and metope decoration is in agreement with the function of the temple as a treasury. In the ''opisthodomus'' (the back room of the cella) were stored the monetary contributions of the Delian League of which Athens was the leading member. Metopes Main article Metopes Of The Parthenon The ninety-two Metopes were carved in high relief, a practice employed until then only in treasuries (buildings used to keep votive gifts to the gods). According to the building records, the metope sculptures date to the years 446-440 BC. Their design is attributed to the sculptor Kalamis. The metopes of the east side of the Parthenon, above the main entrance, depict the Gigantomachy (mythical battles between the Olympian gods and the Giants). The metopes of the west end show Amazonomachy (mythical battle of the Athenians against the Amazons ). The metopes of the south side—with the exception of the somewhat problematic metopes 13–20, now lost—show the Thessalian Centauromachy (battle of the Lapiths aided by Theseus against the half-man, half-horse Centaur s). On the north side of the Parthenon the metopes are poorly preserved, but the subject seems to be the Sack Of Troy . ]] Stylistically, the metopes present surviving traces of the Severe Style in the anatomy of the figures' heads, in the limitation of the corporal movements to the contours and not to the muscles, and in the presence of pronounced veins in the figures of the Centauromachy. Several of the metopes still remain on the building, but with the exception of those on the northern side, they are severely damaged. Some of them are located at the Acropolis Museum, others are in the British Museum and one can be seen at the Louvre Museum . Frieze Main article Parthenon Frieze The most characteristic feature in the architecture and decoration of the temple is the Ionic frieze running around the exterior walls of the cella. Carved in bas-relief, the frieze was carved in situ and it is dated in 442-438 BC. One interpretation is that it depicts an idealized version of the Panathenaic Procession from the Dipylon Gate in the Kerameikos to the Acropolis. In this procession held every year, with a special procession taking place every four years, Athenians and foreigners were participating to honour the goddess Athena offering sacrifices and a new peplos (dress woven by selected noble Athenian girls called ''ergastines''). Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his Friends'', 1868 painting by Lawrence Alma-Tadema ]] Another interpretation of the Frieze is based on Greek Mythology . This interpretation postulates that the scenes depict the sacrifice of Pandora , youngest daughter of Erechtheus to Athena . This human sacrifice was demanded by Athena to save the city from Eumolpus , king of Eleusis who had gathered an army to attack Athens. Connelly, ''Parthenon and Parthenoi'', 53–80. Pediments Pausanias , the 2nd century traveller, when he visited the Acropolis and saw the Parthenon, briefly described only the Pediment s (four entrances to the Parthenon) of the temple. East pediment The East pediment narrates the birth of Athena from the head of her father, Zeus . According to Greek Mythology Zeus gave birth to Athena after a terrible headache prompted him to summon Hephaestus ’ (the god of fire and the forge) assistance. To alleviate the pain he ordered Hephaestus to strike him with his forging hammer, and when he did, Zeus’ head split open and out popped the goddess Athena in full armour. The sculptural arrangement depicts the moment of Athena’s birth. | ||
| The Work On The Pediments Lasted From | "http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/information/entry/438_BC" class="copylinks">438 to 432 BC and the sculptures of the Parthenon pediments are some of the finest examples of classical Greek art The figures are sculpted in natural movement with bodies full of vital energy that bursts through their flesh, as the flesh in turn bursts through their thin clothing The thin Chiton s allow the body underneath to be revealed as the focus of the composition The distinction between gods and humans is blurred in the conceptual interplay between the idealism and naturalism bestowed on the stone by the sculptors Thomas Sakoulas, Ancient Greeceorg |
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