Parthenon Completed

In 432 BCE, construction of the Parthenon on the Athenian Acropolis reached completion after fifteen years of work begun under the direction of statesman Pericles. Architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed the Doric temple, while sculptor Phidias oversaw its decorative program and created the monumental gold-and-ivory statue of Athena Parthenos housed within. The main structure was finished by 438 BCE, with sculptural decoration continuing until 432 BCE. Built from approximately 22,000 tons of Pentelic marble, the temple served as both a religious sanctuary and a treasury of the Delian League.