Uses:
A Picture of the original Parthenon in Greece with some visiting tourists.
The temple stood on a hill called the Acropolis overlooking the city. The Parthenon was dedicated to Athena, the city's patron goddess. Like most Greek temples, the Parthenon was used as a treasury. For a time, it served as the treasury of the Delian League, which later became the Athenian Empire. Then the Parthenon became a Christian church about A.D. 500. Afterwards, in the mid-1940's, the Parthenon served as a mosque, once Muslim forces of the Ottoman Empire captured the city. Finally in 1967, it was severely damaged.
Extra Facts:
The Parthenon replica, in Nashville Tennesee!
Many treasures would have been displayed in the building, but the glory of the Parthenon was the gigantic statue of Athena designed by Phidias and made out of chryselaphantine (elephant ivory) and gold. The name of the Parthenon originates from to two aspects of the Greek goddess Athena, Athena Polios ("of the city") and Athena Parthenos ("young maiden"). The "on" ending means "place of", so "Parthenon" means "Place of the Parthenos". Finally, the Parthenon was so intriguing to many people, that they recreated a replica, in Nashville, Tennessee.