Visitors to Athens can now see the Parthenon without scaffolding for the first time in decades, after Greece removed the metal structures used for long-term conservation work on the ancient temple.
The scaffolding, which had covered the western façade of the 5th-century B.C. monument for around 20 years, was taken down in late September, offering an unobstructed view of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
“This is the first time in about 200 years that the exterior of the Parthenon is completely free of scaffolding,” Culture Minister Lina Mendoni told Skai radio on Friday. “For visitors, it is like seeing a completely different monument.”
The western side provides the clearest street-level view of the Acropolis, making the change especially striking for tourists walking along the pedestrian route at the hill’s base.
However, the clear view will be short-lived. Mendoni said new scaffolding will be installed on the same side within a month for further restoration, though it will be “lighter and more harmonious with the monument’s architecture.”
The renewed conservation work is expected to continue until early summer 2026, after which the Parthenon will again be free of all scaffolding.
The Acropolis remains Greece’s most visited archaeological site, drawing about 4.5 million visitors in 2024, according to official statistics. The Parthenon, built in the mid-5th century B.C., was dedicated to the city’s patron goddess, Athena.