Many books say the Parthenon in Athens, built between 447 and 432 BCE, was designed around the golden ratio of about 1.618. The idea became popular through writers like Adolf Zeising in the 1800s. Measure it yourself, though, and the answer depends a lot on where you put the ruler.
Truth label: Debated. Serious people disagree. You get both sides.
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The sceptics
In 1992, mathematician George Markowsky pointed out that common measurements give ratios like 2.25 or 1.72, not 1.618. Astrophysicist Mario Livio also found the golden ratio poorly supported by the actual dimensions.
The supporters
Others reply that if you measure from different points, such as from the second step or from the tops of the columns, golden proportions appear.
Hard to settle
Livio concluded it is difficult to say for sure. Part of the problem is that published measurements of the temple vary from source to source.
Learn
- The golden ratio. It is the number you get when a line is split so the whole relates to the long part as the long part relates to the short. It is about 1.618.
Test yourself
Who argued in 1992 that the Parthenon's golden ratio is a misconception?
George Markowsky. Markowsky's paper 'Misconceptions about the Golden Ratio' challenged the claim.
Sources
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