A view of the Statue of Athena at the Parthenon in Nashville, TN on November 19, 2024. (Video by Efren Landaos/Sipa USA) More for You.

He suggested that, if necessary, the statue of Athena could be stripped of gold to provide the funds. The Spartans ... Secrets of the Parthenon. Original broadcast: January 29, 2008 ...

The 42-foot statue of Athena wasn't always the crowning jewel of the Parthenon. According to nashvilleparthenon.com , when the construction of the permanent building was completed, Athena was missing.

But when the temple was constructed between 447 and 438 B.C.E., designed in part by the legendary architect Phidias, it hosted a 40-foot-tall, gilded statue of Athena.

The new research shows how light would have spilled into the Parthenon's doorway at specific times of the year, which would have made the statue of Athena shimmer and glow in the surrounding dark ...