Which architects designed the Parthenon?

Which architects designed the Parthenon?

• A. Marcus Agrippa and Hadrian
• B. Iktinos and Kallikrates
• C. Hetepheres and her chair
• D. Iktinos and Hadrian

Answer: (B)

The Parthenon was designed by two Greek architects, Iktinos and Kallikrates, during the mid-5th century BCE on the Athenian Acropolis as part of Pericles’ building program. Their collaboration is recorded in ancient sources and supported by modern scholarship, making them the trusted designers of this iconic temple. The building showcases classical Greek architectural ideas—the Doric order with careful optical refinements like slight column curvature and a carefully graded entablature—to achieve a sense of harmony and unity. The sculptural program was led by Phidias, but the architectural design itself is credited to Iktinos and Kallikrates. The other names come from different periods or contexts: Romans like Hadrian and Agrippa, or unrelated figures from ancient Egypt, do not belong to the Parthenon’s design.

The Parthenon was designed by two Greek architects, Iktinos and Kallikrates, during the mid-5th century BCE on the Athenian Acropolis as part of Pericles’ building program. Their collaboration is recorded in ancient sources and supported by modern scholarship, making them the trusted designers of this iconic temple. The building showcases classical Greek architectural ideas—the Doric order with careful optical refinements like slight column curvature and a carefully graded entablature—to achieve a sense of harmony and unity. The sculptural program was led by Phidias, but the architectural design itself is credited to Iktinos and Kallikrates. The other names come from different periods or contexts: Romans like Hadrian and Agrippa, or unrelated figures from ancient Egypt, do not belong to the Parthenon’s design.