Final answer:
The Parthenon is a Greek temple on the Acropolis of Athens, built between 447 and 438 BCE, and dedicated to goddess Athena. Architects Iktinos and Kallikrates designed it, and it is a highlight of classical Greek architecture.
Step-by-step explanation:
- The subject of this question is the Parthenon, a historically significant edifice from ancient Greece. Designed by the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, the Parthenon is a temple that was dedicated to the goddess Athena, who was regarded as the patron of Athens.
- This grand structure resides on the Acropolis of Athens and was constructed between 447 and 438 BCE, during a period when the Athenian Empire was thriving.
- After the Persian War, it was Pericles who guided the construction of the Acropolis, leading not only to the creation of the Parthenon but also to other important buildings such as the Propylaea, the Erechtheion, and the temple of Athena Nike.
- The Parthenon is a masterpiece of classical Greek architecture, with Ionic colonnades surrounding a meticulously ordered interior. Within its walls once stood a magnificent statue of Athena, crafted by the sculptor Phidias out of gold and ivory, though this statue has not survived to the modern day.