The restoration of the western facade of the Parthenon has been completed, marking the culmination of a project that has spanned more than two centuries, Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni says.
Scaffolding on the western side of the ancient temple on the Acropolis in Athens has been removed, revealing the western facade for the first time in more than 200 years.
The facade has been reconnected by inserting two reconstructed supports and the restoration of a supporting wall.
Hδυτική όψη του #Παρθενώνα αποδίδεται από το ΥΠΠΟ στην πληρέστερη δυνατή μορφή της, για πρώτη φορά μετά από περίπου 220 χρόνια, καθώς ολοκληρώθηκε η αποκατάσταση του δυτικού αετώματος του μνημείου και η οριστική απομάκρυνση των εξωτερικών ικριωμάτων.
— Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού (@cultureGR) June 18, 2026
🔗https://t.co/y69VRbx8fq pic.twitter.com/opW9DYAphT
The work was part of a comprehensive restoration project financed in part by European Union money.
Major restoration efforts on the Acropolis began in the mid-19th century.
By that time, British ambassador Lord Elgin had already removed key sculptures from the monument and taken them to England between 1801 and 1812.
Mendoni described the event as a "historic moment" for the Parthenon and for the conservation of cultural heritage around the world.
She added that the work had been technically demanding and had required extreme precision.
The aim was to restore the facade's architectural unity as far as possible, using ancient elements that were restored and sections of new marble to replace what was missing.
