Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
British ambassador who had his men hammer, chisel, and saw them off the Parthenon in
the early 1800s. Though the Greek government complains about losing its marbles, the
Brits feel they rescued and preserved the sculptures. The often-bitter controversy contin-
ues.
The marble panels you see lining the walls of this large hall are part of the frieze that
originally ran around the exterior of the Parthenon, under the eaves. The statues at either
end of the hall once filled the Parthenon's triangular-shaped pediments. Near the pediment
sculptures, we'll also find the relief panels known as metopes.
The Frieze:
These 56 relief panels show Athens' “Fourth of July” parade, celebrating
the birth of the city. On this day, citizens marched up the Acropolis to symbolically present
a new robe to the 40-foot-tall gold-and-ivory statue of Athena housed in the Parthenon.
