Parthenon 1967

View looking southeast, from near the propylaea (entrance of the Acropolis), toward the northwest corner of the Parthenon.  This photograph was taken in 1967—before the modern rebuilding of the structure began.

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This Doric temple was constructed in the fifth century B.C. and housed a 42 ft. [12.5 m.] tall statue (of gold and ivory) of the chief deity of the city, namely Athena.

It was built by Ictinus under the direction of the sculpture Phidias from 447–438 B.C. (biblical comparison: Nehemiah came to Jerusalem from Persia in 445 B.C.).  The building consisted of 46 Doric columns, 17 on each side and 6 on each end — not counting the corner columns twice.