Explore the breathtaking ruins and iconic architecture of the Acropolis of Athens, an ancient city boasting some of Greece’s most magnificent temples.
None of the temples are more renowned than the Parthenon in the Acropolis of Athens, Greece.
It dwarfs other vital structures, such as the Acropolis Museum, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheum and Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Since 1986, UNESCO has designated the Parthenon as a World Heritage Site.
Around 16,000 people visit the ancient wonder of Parthenon Athens daily.
Discover this iconic landmark’s ancient beauty and cultural richness by purchasing the Parthenon tickets.
What is the Parthenon in Athens?
The Parthenon Athens is one of the most authentic architectural designs and opulent temples the Greek mainland has ever witnessed.
This marble temple is important in Greek history as it was a fortress during the Persian invasion.
The name Parthenon, meaning the “temple of a virgin goddess,” refers to the Goddess Athena Parthenos, the protector of Athens.
Ancient Greeks believed that the Goddess Athena, Zeus’ wife, was born on the site of the Parthenon Athens.
From that time onwards, the Parthenon symbolized Athens’s power and culture.
It even served as a mosque and a magazine during Turkish rule before an explosion destroyed its center.
Around 1801 to 1803, the Turks sold much of its marble statues to Thomas Bruce, the 7th Lord of Elgin.
Ever since then, the Elgin marble has remained at the British Museum.
Times have passed, but the Parthenon Athens lives to be a legend.
Want to visit the Parthenon Athens, a prestigious ancient structure of the Acropolis? Get a Parthenon tickets.
Where do you buy tickets for Parthenon Athens Greece?
You can purchase Parthenon tickets at the Acropolis ticket booth or online.
Buying Parthenon Athens tickets online will allow you to organize your trip ahead while availing fantastic discounts.
The combo ticket for the Acropolis, Parthenon, and Acropolis Museum guided tour is available at huge discounts online.
An archaeologist will also lead you on a guided tour of these attractions.
Buy the Parthenon ticket to visit the Acropolis’s hilltop antiquities and historical places like the Acropolis museum and more!
What’s included
- Walking tour of the Acropolis
- Walking tour of the Acropolis Museum
- Parthenon entrance
- An archaeologist as a guide
- Microphones
Price for a complete Acropolis Experience with Parthenon, Acropolis Museum
There are two variations of this ticket. Let us have a look at these prices.
Ticket prices for an Acropolis tour without entry tickets
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (18 to 99 years) | €60 |
| Youth ticket (2 to 17 years) | €30 |
| Child ticket (up to 2 years) | Free entry |
Ticket prices for an Acropolis tour with entry tickets
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Adult ticket (18 to 99 years) | €85 |
| Youth ticket (2 to 17 years) | €45 |
| Child ticket (up to 2 years) | Free entry |
Parthenon Hours
The Parthenon Athens is the most visited and significant site at the Acropolis.
Parthenon’s hours for visitors differ from that of the Acropolis based on the season.
| Season | Timings |
|---|---|
| Summer | 8 am to 6.30 pm |
| Winter | 8 am to 5 pm |
Check out the detailed information on the operational hours of the Parthenon Athens, Acropolis Museum and all other monuments.
Visit Parthenon Athens to marvel at its timeless beauty and colourful traces of its past.
Where in Athens is the Parthenon located?
The Parthenon is a dominating structure located on the hills of the Acropolis of Athens.
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel, a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece.
The exact location of the Acropolis, where the Parthenon is located, is Athens 105 58, Greece.
Pro-Tip: Visitors should know how to reach the Acropolis of Athens to get to Parthenon.
Open the precise Acropolis Athens location on Google Maps for easy navigation.
How far is Parthenon from Athens Airport?
The Athens International Airport is located at a significant distance from the Parthenon, situated at Acropolis Hill.
The airport is almost 35 km (22 miles) or more, depending on what route or mode of transportation you pick.
Using the well-connected network of public transportation will be the ideal option.
The fastest way to reach is using a taxi or driving yourself.
However, an economically fast option is to use the subway M3. You have to get off at the Syntagma station.
The most cost-efficient way to reach is to opt for the bus X95.
Make travel in Athens by option for the Hop on Hop off Athens Bus.
What to expect at the Parthenon in Athens, Greece?
At the Parthenon, you may expect to see a 12-meter-long statue of Athena made of gold and ivory.
Explore the glass gallery in the Parthenon temple by ascending the glass floor of the Acropolis Museum.
It is currently one of the most recognizable sites in Greece and attracts visitors worldwide.
Visitors can explore the ruins of this ancient temple and learn about its history.
So come and experience the rich history and beauty of the Parthenon – a testament to the perseverance and skill of the ancient Greeks.
Check out the other Archaeological sites at the Acropolis of Athens. Here’s what to expect.
Athena Statue in the Parthenon
The famous ancient sculptor Pheidias made the Statue of Athena Parthenos when the Parthenon was erected.
What happened to the Statue of Athena in the Parthenon?
The gold elements used for the statue were soon melted after its completion during the Peloponnesian War.
Much archaeological evidence indicates that sometime around 165 B.C., a fire broke out in the east naos of the Parthenon.
This most certainly destroyed whatever was left of Pheidias’s original Athena Parthenos.
The lack of gold plating made the wooden core vulnerable to fire and resulted in its destruction.
However, an accurate replica using the leftover pieces from the fire was displayed as a replacement.
The record of the Proklos’s lifetime (412-485 BC) simply states Christians “moved” it.
Whereas Arethas of Kaisareia believes that the ancient Greek statue of the goddess Athena is on display in the Forum of Constantine.
The Roman Emperor Constantine I refounded the Greek city of Byzantion as Nova Roma.
Many famous Classical Greek Sculptures were brought from all over the Greek world.
The Forum of Constantine is a massive round forum in the city’s center.
FAQs
One of the statues in the forum is believed to be the original replica.
The replica of the Statue of Athena, if it was indeed there, was believed to have been destroyed when the Western European armies of the Fourth Crusade laid siege to the city in 1204.
How tall was the Statue of Athena in the Parthenon?
The Statue of Athena Parthenos by the Pheidias was considered the height of classical ancient Greek art.
The Statue was massive in size, approximately 11.5 meters (37.7 ft), and comprised of various materials.
Some sources claim it was 12 meters (38 feet) tall with the core of the Statue made up of wood.
The goddess’s skin was made of ivory, while her dress, helmet and breastplate were covered in plates of gold.
Though the original statue didn’t survive to the present time, the Varvakeion Athena is believed to be the most accurate surviving copy of Athena Parthenos.
The Varvakeion statue was discovered in 1880 near the site of Varvakeion and is now on display in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.
Parthenon Facts
- Did you know that the Parthenon, the world-renowned temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, was built on an earlier temple?
The Parthenon was destroyed twice by the Persians, first during the Persian Wars and then after the battle of Marathon.
Determined to honor their goddess and their city, the Athenians embarked on an ambitious project to build a new temple, this time using gleaming white marble.
And the result? The magnificent Parthenon that we marvel at today. Get tickets.
- Did you know the Parthenon was built to honor the city’s patroness, the goddess Athena, and was specifically designed to fit her colossal ivory statue?
Pheidias, the sculptor of the Statue of Athena in Parthenon, used ivory for the naked parts of the body and gold weighing 1,140 kilos for the garment and hair of the Goddess Athena.
The 13-meter-high Athena Statue in the Parthenon was adorned in full armor with a shield and spear in her left hand and the goddess Nike in her right.
The statue’s helmet was decorated with mythical animals and a Doric veil, with her sacred snake inside the shield.
Representations of battles like gigantomachy and centauromachy were included in the creation of the statue of Athena Parthenos and her temple.
Athena Statue in the Parthenon was visible only during the city’s festivities and was destroyed in a fire in the 3rd century AD. - Did you know the Parthenon, a grand building of the Acropolis, has unique Architectural characteristics?
The Parthenon Temple is a remarkable feat of architecture with perfect golden rectangle dimensions and a precise mathematical design.
The optical illusions used in its construction are awe-inspiring, with columns discreetly closed inwards for a better angle of view.
These columns also effectively eliminate rainwater while providing seismic reinforcement.
So, despite being located on a very seismogenic terrain, the Parthenon still stands proudly.
The columns are thinner towards the top and have a tension bulge, giving the impression of a living organism that “suffers” from the weight it lifts.
- Did you know the Parthenon was initially bright and colorful?
It is a fact that the Parthenon was originally painted in bright colors, contrary to its current white appearance.
Prominent art historians initially rejected this theory until the German archaeologist Vinzenz Brinkmann proved it using modern technology in the 21st century.
Brinkmann could use high-intensity light bulbs, ultraviolet light, and specially designed cameras to show that all the Parthenon sculptures were indeed painted.
Bask in the unparalleled artistic beauty, splendor, and masterful craftsmanship of the Parthenon by getting your hands on those coveted Acropolis tickets.
Note: Travelers can enhance their trip by exploring other archaeological wonders of Athens, allowing them to immerse themselves in Greece’s rich history fully.
Contents
FAQs
Is the Parthenon and Acropolis the same thing?
The Acropolis of Athens is the ancient fortress or stronghold located on the rocky outcrop of Athens.
It contains remains of several ancient structures– one of the most popular and recognizable buildings within the Acropolis is the Parthenon.
Do you need a separate Parthenon ticket?
No! There are no separate Parthenon tickets; visitors must buy tickets to the Acropolis.
There are combo tickets to the Acropolis that let you within the Acropolis premises, from where you can visit the Parthenon and the Museum all at once for a fantastic price deal.
Why was the Parthenon destroyed?
The first major destruction took place around 267 AD due to arson.
However, the most significant damage was done by Francesco Morosini, the leader of the Venetian army.
A Venetian bomb landed on the Parthenon during the siege of Acropolis in 1687 during the Morean War when the Ottomans used it as a munitions dump.
How was the Parthenon built?
The Parthenon was built after the victory in 480 by Pericles over the Persians who occupied Athens.
Its stands as the symbol of Athenian democracy, which celebrated the victory and Athens’s political, cultural, economic, and cultural superiority.
Get the Acropolis guided walking tour & hear more from an expert.
What is the purpose of the Parthenon?
The Parthenon was the chief shrine to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens.
It was also built as the treasury of the Delian League, a confederacy of ancient Greek states.
It was a place of worship for the ancient Greeks and was built for the Hellenic victory over the Persian Empire.
What happened to the Statue of Athena in the Parthenon?
The beautiful statue of Athena went through a series of events leading to its destruction, recreation, and then destruction.
The sculpture’s base was severely damaged in a massive fire shortly before 165 BC.
It was replaced by a replica that the Christians eventually removed at some point during the Prokolos’s lifetime.
Who built the Parthenon in Athens?
Ictinus and Callicrates are the two architects of the Parthenon who designed this exquisite structure.
However, the Parthenon is believed to have been built under the general supervision of Phidias.
Pheidias was also responsible for the sculptural decoration.
All of the major structures, including the Parthenon, the Propylaea, and the Erechtheion, were initiated by Pericles.
He initiated an ambitious building project that lasted the entire second half of the 5th Century B.C. when Athens Acropolis became the seat of the Delian League.
What was the purpose of the Parthenon in Athens?
The purpose of the Parthenon has changed over its 2500-year history.
The existing Parthenon temple stands on an older Parthenon (pre-Parthenon site), dedicated to the Athens Polias (of the city).
Apart from being the chief shrine of Athena, the Parthenon symbolizes democracy as it was also a treasury of the Delian League.
Starting as a shrine and a treasury, it transformed into a Byzantine church, a Roman Catholic cathedral, and later a mosque.
The temple stored ammunition during the Ottoman war with the Venetians.
Visitors looking to gain more from their visit and understand the site’s significance should opt for the Acropolis Athens guided tickets.
When was the Parthenon built in Athens?
The Parthenon Temple was built between 447 and 432 B.C. when the ancient Greek Empire was at its height of power.
Thus, it is one of the early structures in the Acropolis Hills, unlike the Erechtheion, which is among the last structures on the Acropolis of Athens.
It is speculated that the construction of the Parthenon was completed in 438 B.C. But the decoration work continued till 432 B.C.
What was the purpose of the Parthenon in Athens?
The purpose of the Parthenon has changed over its 2500-year history.
The existing Parthenon temple stands on an older Parthenon (pre-Parthenon site), dedicated to the Athens Polias (of the city).
Apart from being the chief shrine of Athena, the Parthenon symbolizes democracy as it was also a treasury of the Delian League.
Starting as a shrine and a treasury, it transformed into a Byzantine church, a Roman Catholic cathedral, and later a mosque.
The temple stored ammunition during the Ottoman war with the Venetians.
Visitors looking to gain more from their visit and understand the site’s significance should opt for the Acropolis Athens guided tickets.
When was the Parthenon built in Athens?
The Parthenon Temple was built between 447 and 432 B.C. when the ancient Greek Empire was at its height of power.
Thus, it is one of the early structures in the Acropolis Hills, unlike the Erechtheion, which is among the last structures on the Acropolis of Athens.
It is speculated that the construction of the Parthenon was completed in 438 B.C. But the decoration work continued till 432 B.C.
What hill in Athens does the Parthenon stand on?
The Parthenon is located on Acropolis Hill.
Being the most prominent structure of the Acropolis, it dominates the vistas of the Hill.
You will require a valid Acropolis Athens entrance ticket to access all the stunning structures.
You can also opt for the value-for-money Combo tickets that allow for more than one attraction without purchasing multiple tickets.
How old is the Parthenon in Athens?
The Parthenon a great building of Acropolis was built between 447 and 438 B.C.
It is one of the earliest structures to be built on the Acropolis, approximately 2500 years old.
Choose an Acropolis Athens guided tour to know the history of this ancient structure.
Featured Image: Dinnerinthesky.gr
