Recent view of thee Parthenon with its scaffolding removed.

The Parthenon skirted in scaffolding before its recent removal.

For the first time in generations, the Parthenon is without its iron scaffolding. Tourists can view the famous Athenian landmark as it had been viewed by visitors to Greece for more than 200 years; it has been cloaked in construction garb for longer than can be remembered. A new set of scaffolding will encase the western side of the Parthenon; in a month, Greece’s minister of culture warns; she warns also that conservation work will continue on the Parthenon until early next summer.

In the world of architecture; this event rates mention  alongside the completion of repairs on fire-damaged Notre Dame in the summer of 2024, in time (just) for the Summer Olympics in Paris. The cathedral weighs in at some 800 years of age; the Parthenon, erected as a temple to the goddess Athena, at more than a thousand years. Built under the direction of Pericles in the Fifth Century B.C., it has withstood earthquakes, fires and explosions.

I can think of no reason to favor this news about the Parthenon over that regarding Notre Dame. I am old. Both are old; the Parthenon is much older; I have written more posts about Notre Dame since its severe damage by fire several years ago; I have visited Notre Dame several times and Athens only once; and there has been much more opinion for me to criticize of how the cathedral should be repaired. I was in love, or felt so, during my visit to the Parthenon and during my main visit to Notre Dame. On balance, I should favor Notre Dame, yet I feel more drawn to the Parthenon. I cannot say that either is more beautiful. My sister-in-law is Athenian (or at any rate Greek), but she is on the outs with my wife (very temporarily, I trust). Notre Dame is closer by hundreds of miles. I have seen no news item about the removal of the Parthenon’s scaffolding on any major television news network. Go figure.