With the restoration of the western pediment of the Parthenon completed and the external scaffolding permanently removed from the monument’s western façade, a particularly significant milestone has been reached for the protection and enhancement of the monuments on the Athens Acropolis, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stressed on Thursday.
For the first time in approximately 220 years, the culture ministry is now able to deliver the western façade of the Parthenon as fully restored as possible. With the installation of two orthostates in the vacant positions of the western pediment and the completion of the restoration of the backing wall, the architectural integrity of the pediment has been restored.
As Mendoni stated: “Only a few months ago, we were speaking about the first unobstructed view of the Parthenon in decades, free from the external scaffolding that had covered its western side. Today, we are speaking about the completion of an exceptionally demanding restoration intervention, through which the western pediment of the Parthenon is presented in its most complete form in approximately 220 years. The sight is truly breathtaking. The pediment, which generations of Greek citizens and visitors from around the world had become accustomed to seeing incomplete, has regained its architectural integrity. The two new orthostates installed in the vacant positions do more than simply fill a structural gap. They once again reveal the unique proportions and geometric perfection of the Parthenon’s western façade. This was a project of extraordinary complexity, carried out by the scientists, engineers, craftsmen and staff of the Acropolis Restoration Service with exemplary precision and dedication. Its successful completion demonstrates once again that Greece, the Ministry of Culture and its specialists have enabled the Greek restoration school to remain at the forefront of the field and among the leading restoration traditions internationally. Today, we see the western pediment of the Parthenon as it has not been seen for two centuries. This is a moment of historic significance for the monument, for the Acropolis and for world culture. It is a moment that fills us with pride, but also with a sense of responsibility to continue, with the same consistency and commitment, the vital work of protecting and showcasing this foremost symbol of Western civilisation.”
According to a statement issued by the culture ministry, the restoration of the pediment orthostates was one of the most complex interventions undertaken in recent years by the Acropolis Restoration Service. The project required highly specialised technical solutions and absolute precision at every stage of the process, from the preparation of the new marble elements to their lifting and installation on the monument. The large orthostat of the western pediment was restored to its original geometry through the joining of surviving ancient fragments and the addition of new marble, while the second orthostat was carved entirely from new marble. For the final installation of the stones, a new functional scaffolding system was erected, meeting the strictest contemporary safety standards and designed to blend aesthetically with the monument.
The restoration programme for the western façade was completed as part of a project funded through the Recovery and Resilience Facility. The works were carried out by the specialised staff of the Acropolis Restoration Service under the supervision of the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments, further confirming the high level of expertise and international standing of the Greek restoration school.
