Ictinus and Callicrates

Ictinus and Callicrates were the ancient Greek architects who designed the Parthenon in Athens in the 5th century BC. Their temple to Athena, with its subtle optical refinements, remains the supreme achievement of classical architecture.

  • Parthenon

    ByDominik Szobak

    Here is a fact that stops most people cold: the Parthenon was not built with a single perfectly straight line. Every column leans slightly inward, every surface curves almost imperceptibly, and the entire structure bows gently upward at its center — all deliberate optical tricks engineered to make the building look absolutely flawless to the…