Two rows of interior columns, arranged in two tiers, supported the ceiling of the Parthenon’s naos. This double-story colonnade surrounded the main eastern room on three sides and helped carry the roof above the colossal cult statue of Athena.
The naos, also called the cella, was the temple’s central sacred room. It housed the Athena Parthenos, the gold-and-ivory statue made by Phidias. The lower and upper columns formed a Π-shaped arrangement, leaving the statue visible while creating an impressive architectural frame within the temple.
The phrase “two rows” can be confusing because the columns were also stacked vertically in two levels. In plan, the arrangement consisted of columns along the sides and rear; in elevation, it rose in two tiers. The Parthenon’s western chamber had a different arrangement, with four tall Ionic columns, so that room should not be counted when answering this question.