What type of marble was used for the Parthenon?

The Parthenon was built primarily from Pentelic marble, quarried on Mount Pentelikon northeast of Athens. This fine, pale stone helped give the temple its luminous appearance and made it especially suitable for precise architectural carving.

Pentelic marble is notable for its subtle golden hue, which becomes more visible in strong sunlight and with weathering. Quarrymen extracted huge blocks and shaped them with iron tools before they were hauled to the Acropolis. The builders selected pieces carefully because the marble contained natural faults and varied in quality.

The use of Pentelic marble does not mean every part of the monument came from the same stone. Some foundations and earlier structures used limestone, while other materials were employed for architectural details, roof elements, metal fittings, and sculpture additions. The sculptures themselves were marble but were also painted and enhanced with materials such as bronze and color.

A frequent mix-up is with Parian marble, another prestigious Greek stone prized for sculpture. Parian marble came from the island of Paros; Pentelic marble came from the mountain near Athens and was the principal marble of the Parthenon.