The Parthenon is the name given to the temple dedicated to the goddess Athena which stands on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. It was built between 447 and 432 BCE and replaced an earlier unfinished temple that was destroyed by the Persians. It measures about 70 by 30 metres and is made of marble. The building project was part of a bigger scheme to beautify Athens initiated by the Athenian politician Pericles. The famous sculptor Phidias created a huge statue of Athena 10.5 metres high for one of the interior spaces of the Parthenon. The statue was made of gold and ivory and held a human-sized goddess of victory, Nike, in one hand. The carved stone sculptures that once decorated the temple were removed by Lord Elgin and sold to the British Museum in the 19th century.
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