Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 19
Parthenon Reveals Restored Western Side After 2 Marble Blocks End 220-Year Gap
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 19

Parthenon Reveals Restored Western Side After 2 Marble Blocks End 220-Year Gap

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 19

Summary

  • Two new marble blocks were unveiled Thursday on the Parthenon’s western end, making that facade appear whole for the first time in about 220 years.
  • The stones were fitted into long-empty gaps high on the 25-century-old temple to repair damage left by war, weather and looting.
  • Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the work restores the western face’s proportions and geometric design, a view visitors first encounter when entering the Acropolis.
  • The EU-funded project is part of a broader restoration campaign that began in 1975 at the monument, which drew about 4.6 million visitors last year.

Insights

Is restoring the Parthenon's perfection erasing the turbulent history etched into its ruins?
Can ancient techniques and modern tech save the restored Parthenon from future climate threats?
The restoration is reversible, but what future scenario would ever demand its undoing?