What god was the Athenian Parthenon dedicated to? Architectural and artistic design of the Parthenon of ancient Greece. The design of the Parthenon is earthquake resistant

The Parthenon temple barely survived to the present day, and despite the fact that the original appearance of the structure was much more majestic, today it is considered a model of ancient beauty. This is the main attraction in Greece, which is worth a visit while traveling around the country. The ancient world was famous for massive buildings, but this one is truly amazing.

Construction of the Parthenon temple

In the south of the Acropolis in Athens, an ancient temple rises, which praises the goddess of wisdom, revered for many centuries by the inhabitants of Hellas. Historians believe that the beginning of construction dates back to 447-446. BC e. There is no exact information about this, since the chronology of the ancient world and contemporaries is different. In Greece, the beginning was considered the day of the summer solstice.

Before the start of the construction of the great temple in honor of the goddess Athena, various cultural buildings were erected on this site, but none have survived to this day, and only the Parthenon, albeit partially, still stands on the top of the hill. The project of the future architectural heritage was developed by Iktin, and Kallikrat was involved in its implementation.

Work on the temple lasted about six years. The Parthenon owes its unusual decoration to the ancient Greek sculptor Phidias, who between 438 and 437 years. BC e. erected a statue of Athena covered with gold. Every inhabitant of those times knew who the temple was dedicated to, since in the era of Ancient Greece the gods were revered, and it was often the goddess of wisdom, war, arts and crafts that was at the top of the pedestal.

The complex history of the great structure

Later in the III century. BC e. Athens was captured by Alexander the Great, but the temple was not damaged. Moreover, the great ruler ordered the installation of a series of shields protecting the great work of architecture, and presented the armor of Persian warriors as a gift. True, not all conquerors were so merciful to the creation of the Greek masters. After the conquest of the Heruli tribe, a fire broke out in the Parthenon, as a result of which part of the roof was destroyed, and reinforcement and ceilings were also damaged. Large-scale restoration work has not been carried out since then.

During the period of the Crusades, the Parthenon temple became a source of strife, as the Christian church tried by all means to eradicate paganism from the inhabitants of Hellas. Around the 3rd century, the statue of Athena Parthenos disappeared without a trace, in the 6th century the Parthenon was renamed the Cathedral Holy Mother of God. From the beginning of the 13th century, the once great pagan temple became part of catholic church, its name often changed, but no significant changes were made.

In 1458, Christianity was replaced by Islam, as Athens was captured by the Ottoman Empire. Despite the fact that Mehmet II admired the Acropolis and the Parthenon in particular, this did not prevent him from placing military garrisons on its territory. During the hostilities, the building was often shelled, which is why the already destroyed building fell into even greater decline.

Only in 1832 did Athens again become part of Greece, and two years later the Parthenon was proclaimed an ancient heritage. From this period, the main structure of the Acropolis began to be restored literally bit by bit. During archaeological excavations, scientists tried to find parts of the Parthenon and restore it into a single whole while preserving the features of architecture.

Images ancient temple do not seem so unique, but with a closer study of them, we can say with confidence that such a creation cannot be found in any city ancient world. Surprisingly, during the construction, special design methods were applied that create visual illusions. For example:

• the columns are tilted in different directions depending on their location in order to visually appear straight;
• the diameter of the columns differs depending on the position;
• the stylobate rises towards the center.

Due to the fact that the Parthenon temple is distinguished by unusual architecture, they often tried to copy it in different countries Worldwide. If you are wondering where similar architecture is located, it is worth visiting Germany, the USA or Japan. Photo replicas are impressive in similarity, but they are not capable of conveying true greatness.

The rocky rock of the Acropolis, which dominates the center of Athens, is the largest and most majestic ancient Greek shrine, dedicated mainly to the patroness of the city, Athena.

The most important events of the ancient Hellenes are connected with this sacred place: the myths of ancient Athens, the largest Religious holidays, the main cult events.
The temples of the Acropolis of Athens are in harmony with the natural environment and are unique masterpieces of ancient Greek architecture, expressing the innovative styles and correlations of classical art, they have had an indelible impact on the intellectual and artistic creativity people for many centuries.

The Acropolis of the 5th century BC is the most accurate reflection of the splendor, power and wealth of Athens at its highest peak - the "golden age". In the form in which the Acropolis now appears before us, it was erected after its destruction by the Persians in 480 BC. e. Then the Persians were finally defeated and the Athenians vowed to restore their shrines. The reconstruction of the Acropolis begins in 448 BC, after the Battle of Plataea, on the initiative of Pericles.

- Temple Erechtheion

Myth of Erechtheus: Erechtheus was a beloved and revered Athenian king. Athens was at enmity with the city of Eleusis, during the battle, Erechtheus killed Eumollus, the leader of the Eleusinian army, and also the son of the god of the sea, Poseidon. For this, the Thunderer Zeus killed him with his lightning. The Athenians buried their beloved king and named the constellation Charioteer after him. At the same place, the architect Mnesicles erected a temple, named after Erichtheus.

This temple was built between 421 and 407 BC and contained the golden lamp of Kallimachou. The construction of the Erechtheion did not stop even during the long Peloponnesian War.

The Erechtheion was the most sacred place of worship in Athens. The ancient inhabitants of Athens in this temple worshiped Athena, Hephaestus, Poseidon, Kekropos (the first Athenian king).

The whole history of the city was concentrated at this point and therefore the construction of the Erechtheon temple began in this place:

♦ in this place a dispute broke out between Athena and Poseidon over the property of the city

♦ in the northern porch of the Erechtheion temple there is a hole where, according to legend, the sacred serpent Erechthonius lived

♦ here was the grave of Kekrops

The eastern porch has six Ionic columns, to the north there is a monumental entrance with a decorated gate, on the south side a porch with six girls, known as caryatids, who support the arch of the Erechtheion, at the moment they have been replaced by plaster copies. Five of the caryatids are in the new Acropolis Museum, one is in the British Museum.

Parthenon - main temple and the landmark of the Acropolis in Athens, located in the archaeological zone of Greece, on a limestone rock, towering among other ancient temples and buildings, such as the Erechtheion, the Propylaea, the Temple of Nike the Wingless.

The amazing temple has an amazing architectural composition, which attracts tourists from all over the world who seek to capture the beauty of the Parthenon in the photo.

Who built the Parthenon?

Its construction began even before our era in 488 under the influence of Pericles. It was built specifically on the elevation of the Athenian Acropolis. The temple was dedicated to Athena Parthenos, thus the Greeks thanked the goddess for the victory in the Battle of Marathon over a strong enemy - the Persians.

The temple, built at this time, was similar in size to the current Parthenon. However, in 480 the Persians destroyed the Acropolis, including the still unfinished Parthenon. After that, construction stopped for as much as 30 years. Work resumed in 454, the construction was led by architects: Iktin and Kallikrat, as well as the sculptor Phidias, who supervised the construction.

The Parthenon in Athens was built from Pentelian marble mined here, which was originally pure white, and over time oxidized and acquired a warm yellowish tint, as if filled with sunlight. It is noteworthy that other buildings before the Parthenon were built of limestone. When laying, no mortar was used, the blocks were carefully adjusted to each other and fastened together with iron pins.

After the birth of Christ, the Parthenon in Greece was turned into christian church, which was consecrated in honor of Hagia Sophia. They even made a bell tower inside the temple.

In 1460, during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks turned the Parthenon into a mosque, next to which stood a minaret. In 1687 Athens was besieged by the Venetians and the temple was used as a storehouse for gunpowder. This had a very negative impact on his condition, the entire middle part of the temple was destroyed due to a cannonball that flew into it and the subsequent explosion. In addition, the English lord took away part of the Parthenon sculptures, so part of the unique heritage ended up in France and London.

The appearance of the magnificent Parthenon

The place for this magnificent building in Greece was not chosen by chance, the architects made a lot of efforts to place the temple in the most advantageous position from an artistic point of view. The Parthenon was supposed to crown the Athenian Acropolis, towering above all other buildings.

The dimensions of the temple depended on the size of the rock, as the architects of ancient Greece adhered to the rule of the golden section in construction. To enter the Parthenon temple, you need to overcome only three marble steps, the total height of this wide staircase is only one and a half meters.

The Parthenon has the shape of a rectangle, decorated in the Doric order, thanks to which it has a majestic colonnade that can be seen from afar. The temple has 8 columns at the ends and 17 at the sides (there are 50 in total), all of them taper upwards and each is decorated with decorative gutters - flutes. The columns at the corners stand with a slight slope towards the center. All these features are designed to make the building look more refined and coherent, especially when viewed from afar.

What did the Temple of Athena Parthenon look like?

In ancient times, the entire interior of the Parthenon was divided into two parts.

1. The room to the east is longer and was called Hekatompedon. In the space hidden behind the columns inside the temple, there used to be a statue of the goddess Athena. The figure was decorated with gold and ivory, it had a wooden base and a decent height - 12 meters, the architect Phidias worked on it. In her hand, Athena held a smaller statue of Nike. She was wearing a helmet on her head, which had three crests with images of a sphinx and griffins.
2. The western room was called the Parthenon. It kept the treasury and archives of the state. Subsequently, the entire temple began to be called the Parthenon.

The Parthenon was decorated with various sculptural compositions, bas-reliefs and high reliefs. One of them depicts the birth of the goddess. According to legend, Zeus swallowed his pregnant wife so that the born heir could not surpass him and kill him. But, despite this cunning of Zeus, the divine child was still able to be born. Hephaestus, the god of fire, cut Zeus's head, and the newborn goddess Athena jumped out.

Another pediment depicts a dispute over Attica. Athena and the god of the seas Poseidon argued which of them would be the patron of the city. The olive tree that Athena grew was more liked by the inhabitants than the salty spring carved from the rock by Poseidon.

At the end of the temple, a solemn procession is depicted, walking along the Parthenon in honor of the Panathenaic holiday and worship of the patron goddess of the city. Horsemen, priestesses and priests participated in it. Athena was presented new clothes, which was called peplos.

Some metopes of the Parthenon depict various scenes from battles and not only between people. On them, the Greeks are fighting with centaurs, Amazons, the gods are fighting with giants. They also illustrate scenes from the Trojan War.

Many details of the Parthenon were previously painted, blue and red colors predominated. It was painted in a special way: a thin layer of wax with a dye was applied, then, under the influence of temperature, the paint penetrated into the stone. A magnificent effect of coloring marble was achieved, while its structure was visible. The building was also decorated with bronze wreaths.

the main temple of the Athenian Acropolis, dedicated to Athena Parthenos (i.e. Virgin), the patron goddess of the city. Construction began in 447 BC, the consecration of the temple took place at the Panathenaic festival in 438 BC, but the decoration (mainly sculptural work) continued until 432 BC. The Parthenon is a masterpiece of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of Greek genius. Story. A new temple was erected at the highest point of the Acropolis, on a site dedicated to the gods. The ancient temples were probably small in size, and therefore significant leveling of the Acropolis was not required. However, in 488 BC. a new temple was laid here to thank Athena for the victory over the Persians at Marathon. Its dimensions in terms of plan are very close to the current Parthenon, and therefore in the middle of the southern slope it was necessary to erect a retaining wall and lay limestone blocks in the base, so that the southern edge of the construction site rose above the rock of the Acropolis by more than 7 m. The conceived temple was a peripter, which had , apparently, 6 columns on the side of the ends and 16 on the sides (counting the corner columns twice). Its stylobate (upper platform) and steps, as well as the columns themselves, as well as other structural elements, were made of marble (or at least they were conceived as marble). When in 480 BC The Persians captured and plundered the Acropolis, the temple under construction, which by that time had been brought only to the height of the second drum of columns, was destroyed by fire, and work was interrupted for more than 30 years. In 454 BC the treasury of the Delian maritime union was transferred to Athens, where Pericles then ruled, and soon, in 447 BC, construction work on the almost finished site resumed. The Parthenon was erected by the architects Iktin and Kallikrates (they also call Carpion), as well as Phidias, who was primarily responsible for sculpture, but in addition carried out general supervision of the progress of work on the Acropolis. The creation of the Parthenon was part of the conquest of Athens by Pericles, not only in the military and economic field, but also in religion and art. Regarding the further fate of the temple, we know that c. 298 BC the Athenian tyrant Lahar removed the golden plates from the cult statue of Athena, and in the 2nd century. BC. The building, which was damaged by the fire, was thoroughly repaired. In 426 AD The Parthenon was converted into a Christian church, originally St. Sofia. Apparently, at the same time, in the 5th century, the statue of Athena was transported to Constantinople, where it subsequently died in a fire. Initial Chief east entrance closed the altar apse, so now the main thing has become western entrance through a room previously separated by a blank wall behind the cella. Other changes in the layout were also made, and a bell tower was erected in the southwestern corner of the temple. In 662 the temple was re-consecrated in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos ("Panagia Afiniotissa"). After the Turkish conquest, c. 1460, the building was turned into a mosque. In 1687, when the Venetian commander F. Morosini was besieging Athens, the Turks used the Parthenon as a powder warehouse, which led to disastrous consequences for the building: a red-hot cannonball that flew in here caused an explosion that destroyed its entire middle part. No repairs were carried out then, on the contrary, local residents began to pull apart marble blocks in order to burn lime out of them. Appointed in 1799 as British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Lord T. Elgin received permission from the Sultan to export the sculptures. During 1802-1812, the lion's share of the surviving sculptural decoration of the Parthenon was transported to Great Britain and placed in the British Museum (some of the sculptures ended up in the Louvre and Copenhagen, although some remained in Athens). In 1928, a fund was created, which set itself the goal, as far as possible, to put the fallen columns and blocks of entablature in place, and on May 15, 1930, the northern colonnade of the temple was inaugurated.
Architecture. The Parthenon in its current form is a Doric peripter standing on three marble steps (total height approx. 1.5 m), having 8 columns at the ends and 17 at the sides (if you count the corner columns twice). The height of the peristyle columns composed of 10-12 drums is 10.4 m, their diameter at the base is 1.9 m, the corner columns are slightly thicker (1.95 m). The columns have 20 flutes (vertical gutters) and taper upwards. The dimensions of the temple in plan (according to the stylobate) are 30.9*69.5 m. it has six-column prostrate porticoes at the ends, the columns of which are somewhat lower than in the outer colonnade. Cella is divided into two rooms. The eastern one, longer and called the hecatompedon (internal size 29.9 * 19.2 m), was divided into three naves by two rows of 9 Doric columns, which closed at the western end with a transverse row of three additional columns. It is assumed that there was also a second tier of Doric columns, which was located above the first and provided the required height of the ceilings. In the space bounded by the inner colonnade, there was a colossal (12 m high) chrysoelephantine (made of gold and ivory) cult statue of Athena by Phidias. In the 2nd century AD she was described by Pausanias, and her general form known from several smaller copies and numerous images on coins. The ceilings of the western cella (internal size 13.9 * 19.2 m), which was called the Parthenon (the treasury of the Delian Union and the state archive were kept here; over time, the name was transferred to the entire temple), rested on four high columns, presumably Ionic. All elements of the construction of the Parthenon, including the roof tiles and steps of the stylobate, were hewn from local Pentelian marble, almost white immediately after mining, but over time acquiring a warm yellowish tint. Mortar or cement was not used, the laying was carried out dry. The blocks were carefully fitted to each other, the horizontal connection between them was carried out with the help of I-beam iron braces placed in special grooves and filled with lead, the vertical one - with the help of iron pins.
Sculpture. The decoration of the temple, which complemented its architecture, is divided into three main categories: metopes, or square panels, provided with high reliefs, located between the triglyphs of the frieze above the outer colonnade; a bas-relief, which encircled the cella from the outside with a continuous strip; two colossal groups of free-standing sculptures filling deep (0.9 m) triangular pediments. On 92 metopes, scenes of martial arts are presented: gods and giants from the east side, lapiths and centaurs (they are best preserved) - from the south, Greeks and Amazons - from the west, participants in the Trojan War (presumably) - from the north. The sculptural group on the eastern pediment depicted the birth of Athena, who, fully armed, jumped out of the head of Zeus after the blacksmith god Hephaestus cut his head with an ax. The group from the western pediment represented the dispute over Attica between Athena and Poseidon, when the olive tree presented by the goddess was recognized as a more valuable gift than the source of salt water discovered in the rock by Poseidon. A few statues from both groups have survived, but even from them it is clear that it was a great artistic creation of the middle of the 5th century. BC. The bas-relief strip on top of the cella (total length 160 m, height 1 m, height from the stylobate 11 m, in total there were about 350 foot and 150 equestrian figures) depicted the Panathenaic procession, which annually brought Athena a new attire - peplos. Horsemen, chariots, citizens of Athens moving from west to east are represented along the northern and southern sides, and closer to the head of the procession are musicians, people with gifts, sacrificial sheep and bulls. Along the western, end wall, above the portico, there are groups of cavalrymen standing near their horses, mounted on them or already leaving (this part of the bas-relief remained in Athens). On the eastern end is the central group of the procession, consisting of the priest and priestess of Athena with three young servants: the priest receives the folded peplos. Figures are placed on the sides of this scene. the most important gods Greek pantheon. They are divided into two groups and turned to face outward, towards the corners of the building, as if watching the approach of the procession. Next to them, on the right and left, are two groups of citizens or officials, and at the edges are slowly moving people leading the procession.
"Subtlety" of the Parthenon. The scrupulous thoughtfulness of the construction of the Parthenon, which aims to deprive the building of mechanical straightness, to give it liveliness, is manifested in a number of "refinements" that are found only with a special study. We will mention only a few. The stylobate rises slightly towards the center, the lifting boom along the northern and southern facades is approx. 12 cm, along the northern and western - 6.5 mm; the corner columns of the end facades are slightly inclined towards the middle, and the two middle ones, on the contrary, towards the corners; the trunks of all columns have a slight swelling, entasis, in the middle; the front surface of the entablature is somewhat inclined outward, and the pediment inward; the diameter of the corner columns, visible against the sky, is slightly larger than the rest, and in addition, they represent a complex figure in cross section, different from the circle. Many parts of the building were painted. The lower surface of the echinus (extensions on the capitals of the columns) was red, as was the tenia (the belt between the architrave and the frieze). Red and blue were used on the underside of the eaves. The marble caissons of the colonnade ceiling were tinted with red, blue and gold or yellow. Color was also used to emphasize the elements of the sculpture. Bronze wreaths were also used in the decor of the building, as evidenced by holes drilled in the architrave for their fastening.

Collier Encyclopedia. - Open society. 2000 .

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Where is the Parthenon and how to get to it

The Parthenon is located on the Acropolis, in the heart of Athens. Built on a strategic location, it stands out from the rest of the buildings of the Greek capital and is visible from literally anywhere in the city. Therefore, it will definitely not work to pass by or get lost. You can get to it in several ways:

• By metro - to the station called Akropolis;
• By bus - there are numerous routes to the Acropolis: 106, 24, 57, 137, 230, A3, E22;
• By trolley bus No. 15, 5, 1;
• On foot - along Dionisiou Areopagite street. It leads uphill and leads directly to the Parthenon.

History of the Parthenon

For those who are at least a little familiar with Greece and its history, the Parthenon is associated with the goddess Athena. The temple arose as a dedication to the patroness of the city. But few people know that long before him, Hekatompedon stood in the same place - ancient temple also dedicated to Athena.

As a replacement for the old temple destroyed by the Persians, the Parthenon was built on the initiative of Pericles, a famous Athenian politician, famous commander and reformer. He attracted the sculptor Phidias to participate in the construction, Iktiy and Kallikrat were chosen as architects. The latter built several more temples on the Acropolis, but it was the Parthenon that became his main brainchild. Although for a long time it did not turn out the way it was intended. The construction of the future symbol of Athens took more than 9 years. And for every coin spent on the project, the government accounted for the people of Athens. Some of the financial records saved a lot interesting facts. For example, the most expensive and largest stone was brought from Mount Pendelikon, located 16 km from Athens. High-quality marble was also used for the construction.

The Parthenon was solemnly presented to the public during the Panathenaic festival - the largest political and religious festivals of antiquity. But the decorative work continued for several more years. They were led by Phidias, who created the statue of Athena - she became the main decoration of the Parthenon. The way it looked has been of concern to historians for several centuries. It is said that the statue was best job Phidias. The wooden statue was covered with a ton of gold and decorated with ivory. The 13-meter statue held a spear in one hand, the figure of Nike in the other.

For almost 1000 years, the Parthenon served as the main temple of the Greek religion. It was still intact in the 4th century. AD, but by that time Athens was no more than just a provincial city of the Roman Empire with a glorious past. In the 5th century the statue of Athena was stolen and taken to Constantinople. Here it collapsed several centuries later.

Then the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church of the Virgin Mary. This inevitably led to the rebuilding of the temple - pagan sculptures and some columns were removed. Most likely even destroyed. In the XV century. The Parthenon was waiting for new changes. This time, the Ottomans, who captured the city, rebuilt the once pagan temple of Athena into a mosque. However, they did not cause serious damage.

In the 17th century, during the attack of the Venetians, the Parthenon was literally destroyed as a result of the explosion of a gunpowder warehouse. And only in the 1840s. its restoration began, but first of all, new and medieval buildings, as well as a Muslim minaret, were removed.

What the Parthenon looked like: past and present

In ancient times, the Parthenon looked majestic - as it should be for the temple of the goddess especially revered by the Greeks. It had a rectangular shape with a colonnade on all 4 sides. It is believed that the number of Dorian columns was 48. Inside the Parthenon there was a central platform, also fenced with columns. And in its center stood the now-lost statue of Athena.

One of the surviving friezes of the Parthenon depicts a scene of a festive procession that usually accompanied the Panathenaic. Pages were immortalized on several sides of the temple historical events and legends: the Trojan War, the battle of the Amazons and the Greeks. As for the pediment, several statues have been preserved, and even those are in a deplorable state. The originals are kept in the Athens Museum and the Acropolis Museum, and copies have been installed in their place. However, half of the remaining parts of the friezes and sculptures were taken to London and have not yet been returned to Greece.

By the way, the building is unique in terms of geometry. If an object 15 cm high is placed at one end of the Parthenon steps, then it will be invisible from the opposite side. This means that flat structures actually have curvature. Another secret of the Parthenon is "encrypted" in its columns - they are slightly tilted inward. It is believed that such features allowed the temple to withstand seismic loads, which once again confirms the skill of the architects.

The modern Parthenon, as far as possible, archaeologists have brought closer to the original. Lost splendor and greatness cannot be returned to him, but progress is obvious. Destruction and incomplete reconstruction did not prevent the Parthenon from becoming one of the main monuments of the world.

Visiting the Parthenon

You can visit the main monument of Athens from 8:30 to 18:00.

Ticket price - 12 euros, under 18s visit free.

Since there are many tourists here during the season, and the summer heat brings inconvenience, it is better to come here at the opening or in the evening. For the convenience of tourists, there is a kiosk near the Parthenon where you can buy drinks, there is a toilet and a left-luggage office - they are not allowed inside with large bags.

For Greece, the Parthenon is not just a historical monument. It is pride and a national symbol. At different times, several cities around the world tried to repeat the work of architects and create their own version of the Parthenon. But no one succeeded in surpassing the example of classical antique architecture.