The western part of the Athenian Parthenon is after reconstruction, the scaffolding has been removed

Athens – The Greek Ministry of Culture today presented the western part of the Parthenon after a challenging reconstruction. According to the ministry, the facade has returned to its most complete state in over two centuries, and the outer scaffolding has been removed, Greek media reports. The condition now closely resembles that of the early 19th century, when the Parthenon lost a large part of its marble decoration.

"Today we see the western façade in a state that we have not seen for two centuries," said Culture Minister Lina Mendoni. According to her, thanks to the restorers' interventions, the façade has regained "architectural unity." The permanent outer scaffolding has also disappeared from the façade, which had previously been temporarily removed in 2025.

Restorers restored the western part of the temple using both ancient marble pieces and new marble materials. Thus, the façade has returned to its "most complete state" since the early 19th century, the Ministry of Culture stated. This reflects the condition after a large part of the marble decoration was taken from Athens by British diplomat Thomas Bruce, Lord Elgin. This occurred at a time when Greece was still part of the Ottoman Empire.

This part of the marble decoration is now part of the British Museum's exhibition. Athens has long sought its return to Greece, arguing that the marble decoration was exported from the country without permission from the then authorities. However, the British Museum claims that it acquired the so-called Elgin marbles legally. Even in the event of the marble decoration's return, however, the rare sculptures would likely end up in the exhibition of the Acropolis Museum to avoid exposure to atmospheric influences.

The Parthenon is the most significant monument at the heart of ancient Athens – the summit of the Acropolis. It was built about 2500 years ago and was dedicated to the goddess Athena. The Parthenon is one of the most famous monuments in the world and has served as a template for numerous buildings elsewhere in the world over the past centuries.