The Parthenon is an Ancient Greek temple to the goddess Athena that stands on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Construction began in 447 BCE and was completed in 438 BCE during the reign of Pericles. It is a Doric structure that boasted elaborate sculptures and decorations. Many were removed and solid in 1816 to the British Museum (now called the Elgin Marbles after Thomas Bruch, the 7^th Earl of Elgin). The Parthenon has at various points in history served as a Christian church and a mosque. It has long been heralded as a testament of Western civilization and Athenian democracy.