Greek Architecture

B.Architecture,
1st Semester

Ancient Greece

A Step Back In Time

Architecture

Art, method and style of

building.

Introduction!!
Thearchitecture of Ancient
Greeceis the architecture produced by
theGreek speaking people (Hellenic
people) for a period from about 900 BC
until the 1st century AD.

 Ancient Greek architecture is best

known fromits temples. The second
important type of building that survives
all over the Hellenic world is theopenair theatre.
Other architectural forms that are still in
evidence are the processional gateway
(propylon), the public square (agora)
surrounded by storied colonnade (stoa),
the town council building, the public
monument, the monumental tomb
(mausoleum) and thestadium.

How They Build Their Houses..

The Greeks had to find a way to

support their bigger houses.

To

build a bigger house the

prehistoric way would have meant
the house would have fallen down.

The Greeks used columns to support

their houses.

Columns

A column was a huge stick that held

the roof up.

The

first columns were made of wood.

The Greeks ran out of wood.

They had a lot of rock, so they used
rock instead of wood.

Marble

Marble is a kind of
rock.

It comes in many
colors and is beautiful.

There was a lot of

marble in Greece.

Most of it was a
creamy white color.

Many Grecian buildings

are made of marble.

Temple

Atemple(from

theLatinwordtemplum) is a structure
reserved forreligious or spiritual activities, such
asprayerandsacrifice, or analogousrites.

Temples - Purpose
Unlike

modern churches
or mosques, Greek
temples were not meant
to be meeting places for
congregations.

They

were homes for the

communitys god or
goddess and a place to
keep offerings

cult image was

centrally located within a
naos, or chapel.

Temples - Purpose

In

the mild climate of Greece, ceremonies

generally took place outdoors.
Even the alter, upon which sacrifices were
made, were outside the temple structure.

Temple Forms
Greek

temples, like
Egyptian ones,
tended to follow set
patterns, which
were regarded as
ideal forms.
Variations are few in
any given period,
tending to reflect
the choice of a
particular classical
order, rather than
new and novel
design.

The Classical Orders

The

three
classical
orders are:
Doric
Ionic
Corinthian

The Doric Order

TheDoric

orderwas one of the three orders

of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the
other two canonical orders were the Ionic and
the Corinthian.

Doric

columns are the heaviest in

appearance.

The
The

capital is plain.

shaft is thick though it loses some of its

mass over time.

Doric Columns
The

top of the
columns are a
square block.

Under

the block is
a rounded piece.

The

columns are
thick.

The

base is a
square block.

Doric

This is a drawing of a
Doric column.

Notice the square

block at the top.

Notice the rounded

piece under the block.

The column is thick.

The base is made of a

square block.

Doric

This drawing shows

how the Doric
column was used.

The columns hold up

the roof.

The roof line was

very fancy.

The top of the

column is called the
capital.

Doric Colonnade in Zeus Palace

 The capitals were very large.

Doric Columns in the Parthenon

The Ionic Order

TheIonic

order forms one of thethree

ordersofclassical architecture, the
other two canonic orders being
theDoric and theCorinthian.

These
The

have greater elegance.

shaft is thinner than its Doric

equivalent.

Ionic Columns
The

Ionic capital
looks like a scroll and
has distinctive
volutes.

The

Ionic column is
skinnier.

The

base is apparent
and has a rounded
and a square section.

Ionic Order

1- entablature

2- column

3- cornice

4- frieze

5- architrave or epistyle

6- capital (composed of abacus and volutes)

7- shaft

8- base

9- stylobate

10- krepis.

Ionic

This is a drawing of
an Ionic column.

Notice the capital is

shaped like a scroll.

Notice the column is

skinnier.

This base is square.

Many times the

bases were fancier.

Ionic

This drawing shows

how the Ionic column
was used.

The columns hold up

the roof.

The roof line was very

fancy.

The capital looks like a

scroll.

The base is layered.

Ionic Column in Athenas Temple

The Corinthian Order

TheCorinthian
orderis the last
developed of the
three principal
classical ordersof
ancientGreekan
d
Romanarchitectu
re.

Corinthian Columns
This

is also a tall,
elegant form.

Corinthian columns
were the most
decorative.

The

capitals were carved

to look like leaves.

The

columns were the

thinnest.

base is also employed.

Corinthian Columns

This is a drawing of
a Corinthian column.

Notice the capital

looks like leaves and
flowers.

The column is the

thinnest of all.

The base is the

fanciest of all.

Corinthian

This drawing shows

how the column was
used.

The column holds up

the roof.

The roof line had lots

of parts, but not so
much carving.

The capital is very

fancy and so is the
base.

Corinthian Columns in Zeus Temple

Corinthian Columns in the

Olympeian

Important Structures

1. The Acropolis

The

most famous Greek buildings topped the

Athenian Acropolis.
These include: the Propylaea, the Temple of
Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum.

The Propylaea
This

is the
monumental entry
point to the
acropolis.

Temple of Athena Nike

This

is a small
temple dedicated to
the victorious
Athena.
The ratio of height
to diameter of the
columns is 7:1 and
not the 9:1 or 10:1
generally found in
Ionic temples.

The Parthenon
This

is the most
important and
perfectly formed
temple on the
acropolis.
Dedicated to
Athena, it housed
an enormous cult
image.

The Parthenon
One

of the Parthenons
most impressive features
was not seen by most
worshippers the great
frieze showing the
Panathenaic Procession.
The colour of this
reconstruction is
indicative of what much
of the structure would
have looked like before
being bleached by
centuries of
Mediterranean sun.

The Erechtheum
This

is a complex
building of up to four
distinct spaces.
It is also built on a
slope, so its walls are
of differing heights.
It is dedicated to
Athena Polias and
Poseidon Erechtheus.

The Erechtheum

The

most distinctive element of this

building is the Porch of the Maidens.

2. Agora
TheAgora

was a
central spot in
ancientGreekcitystates. The literal
meaning of the word
is "gathering place"
or "assembly". The
agora was the center
of athletic, artistic,
spiritual and political
life of the city

 TheAncient

Agora of Athenswas the

best-known example.

3. The Great Altar of Pergamum

This

Hellenistic
building broke
completely with
traditional style.

The

frieze was
brought down to the
level of outside
observers.

The

colonnade was
raised above it.

4. Stoa
Astoainancien

t Greek
architecture, is
a covered
walkway
orportico,
commonly for
public use

5. Theatre of Ancient
Greece

TheTheatre

Of Ancient Greece, OrAncient Greek drama, is

atheatricalculturethat flourished inancient Greece700 BC.

Thecity-stateofAthens,

was its centre.

The Greek Heritage

Greek

architecture had
a lasting impact
on the world.
The Romans
adopted it as an
ideal, but
modified it to
meet their
practical needs.

The Greek Heritage

Today,

elements of
Greek architecture
surround us
everywhere, from
the Doric columns
gracing local homes
to the great Ionic
capitals of the
Vancouver Art
Gallery.

The Greek Heritage

Greek

forms

have
become an
integral part
of the
vocabulary
of world
architecture
The Supreme Court of the United States