The ancient temple, originally built on the Acropolis, a hill overlooking the city of Athens, was constructed between 447 and 432 B.C. by Greeks. The white marble edifice, considered a prime example of Greek architecture, has an interesting history: About A.D. 500, it became a Christian church; in the mid-1400s, when the region was captured by Turkish Muslims, it was turned into a mosque; and in 1687, when Venetians tried to take the city, the Parthenon was severely damaged; only ruins remain today.