Parthenon facade restored after 200-year project
Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said the restoration of the Parthenon’s western façade has been completed, marking the culmination of a project that took more than two centuries.
The scaffolding on the west side of the ancient temple on the Acropolis in Athens has been removed, revealing the west façade for the first time in more than 200 years.
The façade was reconnected through the addition of two reconstructed supports and the restoration of a support wall.
Hello. δυτικού αετώματος του μνημείου και η οριστική απομάκρυνση των εξωτερικών ικριωμάτων.🔗 https://t.co/y69VRbx8fq pic.twitter.com/opW9DYAphT — Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού (@cultureGR) June 18, 2026
The work was part of an extensive restoration project partly financed with European Union money.
Major restoration work on the Acropolis began in the mid-19th century.
By that time, British ambassador Lord Elgin had already removed the important statues from the monument and taken them to England between 1801 and 1812.
Mendoni called the event a “historic moment” for the preservation of the Parthenon and cultural heritage around the world.
He added that the work was technically challenging and required extremely precise work.
The aim was to restore the architectural integrity of the façade as much as possible, using restored ancient elements and new marble sections to replace what was missing.
