In which country is the Parthenon located?

The Parthenon is located in Greece, on the Acropolis of Athens. Built as a temple dedicated primarily to Athena, the city’s patron goddess, it stands above the modern Greek capital and remains one of the best-known monuments of classical antiquity.

Construction began in 447 BCE, during Athens’ ambitious building programme after the Persian Wars, and the main structure was substantially completed by about 432 BCE. Architects traditionally associated with the project include Ictinus and Callicrates, while the sculptural programme was directed by Phidias.

A common mix-up is to place the Parthenon in Italy, Turkey, or Egypt. Athens was part of the ancient Greek world, and the monument has remained in Greece despite later changes: it became a Christian church, then a mosque, and was badly damaged in 1687 when an Ottoman gunpowder store exploded during a Venetian attack.

The Parthenon is not the entire Acropolis. It is one monument within the Acropolis complex, alongside structures such as the Erechtheion, the Propylaia, and the Temple of Athena Nike.