Parthenon restoration revives monument’s early 19th-century appearance
The restoration focused on the temple’s western pediment, the triangular upper section of the facade, where archaeologists, engineers and conservation specialists reconstructed missing sections and reinforced the structure using surviving ancient fragments alongside newly carved marble.
The Parthenon, built around 2,500 years ago in honor of the goddess Athena, overlooks Athens from the Acropolis and attracts more than four million visitors each year.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the project allows the monument to be viewed in a way not seen for generations.
“Today, we look upon the west pediment of the Parthenon as we have not seen it for two centuries,” Mendoni said in a statement.
She described the restoration as a project of exceptional complexity and said the western side of the monument was now being presented in its fullest possible form for the first time in roughly 220 years.
Restoration recalls period before sculptures were dispersed
The ministry said the work sought to restore the monument as closely as possible to its condition following the removal of a large portion of its surviving sculptures by Lord Elgin between 1801 and 1812.
Approximately half of the surviving Parthenon sculptures are currently housed in the British Museum in London, at the center of a long-running dispute over their ownership and return.
Athens has consistently argued that the sculptures are an integral part of the monument and should be reunited with the Parthenon, while Britain maintains they were legally acquired.
Talks over sculptures continue
Discussions between the British Museum and Greek officials over a possible arrangement for displaying the sculptures in Athens have continued in recent years.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has repeatedly raised the issue with British counterparts as part of efforts to secure their return.
Fragments of the Parthenon sculptures are also held in museums in Paris, Copenhagen, Munich, Vienna and Würzburg.
The completion of the restoration marks a significant milestone in the preservation of one of the world's most iconic ancient monuments and a symbol of classical civilization.
