Contents
- 1 What do the metopes of the Parthenon depict?
- 2 What two events are depicted on the pediments of the Parthenon?
- 3 What does Parthenon symbolize?
- 4 Why is the Parthenon frieze so important?
- 5 Why is the Parthenon so impressive?
- 6 When was the south wall of the Parthenon destroyed?
- 7 What does high relief mean on a Parthenon?
What do the metopes of the Parthenon depict?
The metopes on each of the four sides of the Parthenon depict a different mythical battle or war. It depicts a battle between the civilized Lapiths and the brutish half -human, half-horse centaurs, where the legendary Athenian king Theseus fought on the Lapiths’ side.
What is depicted in the Parthenon frieze?
The Parthenon frieze runs around the upper edge of the temple wall of the Parthenon. On the north, west, and south the frieze portrays a procession of horsemen, musicians, and sacrificial animals.
What two events are depicted on the pediments of the Parthenon?
The east pediment depicted the birth of Athena (which connects nicely with the frieze’s depiction of the Panathenaic Festival held on the goddess’ birthday), whilst the west pediment showed the competition between Athena and Poseidon to become the patron of Athens, the former offering the Athenians a salty spring, the …
What happened inside the Parthenon?
On 26 September 1687, an Ottoman ammunition dump inside the building was ignited by Venetian bombardment during a siege of the Acropolis. The resulting explosion severely damaged the Parthenon and its sculptures….
| Parthenon | |
|---|---|
| Type | Temple |
| Architectural style | Classical |
| Location | Athens, Greece |
| Construction started | 447 BC |
What does Parthenon symbolize?
The Parthenon was the center of religious life in the powerful Greek City-State of Athens, the head of the Delian League. Built in the 5 century B.C., it was a symbol of the power, wealth and elevated culture of Athens. It was the largest and most lavish temple the Greek mainland had ever seen.
What does metope mean in English?
: the space between two triglyphs of a Doric frieze often adorned with carved work.
Why is the Parthenon frieze so important?
The Parthenon friezes meant to convey a Panathenaic procession, the victory of the Athenians at Marathon, the power of Athens as a city-state, and the piety of its citizens. This building dedicated to the goddess Athena stands tall upon the ancient Athenian acropolis and serves as a reminder of times past.
Can you walk inside the Parthenon?
The Parthenon is the centerpiece of the Acropolis. You are not allowed to walk onto the Parthenon but you can walk around the entire circumference of it.
Why is the Parthenon so impressive?
This icon of classical architecture perched atop the Acropolis has dominated the Athens skyline for 2,500 years. Constructed with impressive speed during a massive fifth-century building project at the hilltop citadel known as the Acropolis, the Parthenon was not only beautiful—it was built to last.
What did the metopes of the Parthenon represent?
At the east (or front) of the temple the metopes depicted the Gigantomachy, or the battle between the gods and the giants. The west metopes depicted fights between Greeks and the Amazons (or Persians), while the north and south metopes included scenes from the Trojan War and the Cenauromachy respectively.
When was the south wall of the Parthenon destroyed?
In 1687, a cannonball struck the Parthenon during an attack on Athens by the Venetians. This event destroyed many metopes on the south wall, especially the central ones. The existence of these metopes is now known only from Carrey’s drawings executed in 1674 and from their remaining fragments.
Who was the master builder of the Parthenon?
If they were made by several artists, the master builder was certainly Phidias. They were carved between 447 or 446 BC. or at the latest 438 BC, with 442 BC as the probable date of completion. Most of them are very damaged. Typically, they represent two characters per metope either in action or repose.
What does high relief mean on a Parthenon?
High relief means that more than half of the sculpted figure is raised, as opposed to low relief which has less dramatic depth. In high relief, parts of the figure like arms are often completely free-standing.