Final answer:
The Parthenon is constructed from Pentalic marble and was originally painted in vibrant colors, including blue, red, and gold. It was completed in 438 BCE as part of Pericles' restoration of the Acropolis, with Iktinos and Kallikrates as the architects and Phidias sculpting the Athena statue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Parthenon is made from Pentalic marble, with parts of its foundation composed of limestone from an earlier, unfinished temple. While the imposing structure's original colors have faded over time, research suggests that it was once brightly painted. Scholars have identified shades of blue, red, and gold among the colors used to adorn the building and its sculptures.
The construction of the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, began in 447 BCE and was completed in 438 BCE. The architectural design is distinctive and boasts a peripteral column arrangement, with a pronaos that is nearly nonexistent and an opisthodomos large enough to account for the treasury of the Delian League.
Initially, the Parthenon was part of a grand rebuilding program undertaken by the Athenian statesman Pericles, who utilized tribute money to restore the Acropolis after the Persian War. Its design was the work of the architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, while the statue of Athena that was housed within was crafted by the renowned artist Phidias. Despite centuries of existence and significant damage, including that caused by a 1687 explosion, the Parthenon remains a globally recognized symbol of classical Greek architecture.