In what year was the Parthenon completed?

The Parthenon was completed in 438 BC. This date refers to the completion of the main building; sculptural and decorative work continued for several more years.

Construction began in 447 BC during the period when Athens controlled the Delian League and was directing its resources toward a major rebuilding program on the Acropolis. The architects Ictinus and Callicrates designed the temple, while the sculptor Phidias supervised its sculptural program and created the colossal statue of Athena Parthenos.

The distinction between 438 BC and 432 BC explains a common quiz mistake. The structure itself was finished around 438 BC, but work on the decoration, including sculpture and architectural details, continued until about 432 BC. Both dates can therefore appear in summaries, but they describe different stages of the project.

The temple replaced the Older Parthenon, destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. Built of Pentelic marble, the new temple became both a sanctuary for Athena and a treasury associated with the Delian League.