ARCHITECTURE OF ANCIENT GREECE: THE TEMPLES

ORIGINS OF GREEK ARCHITECTURE Our word architecture comes from the Greek

architecton This means “master carpenter”

Early Greek architecture employed wood, not stone. These early structures have not survived.

By the 6th Century BC, stone replaced wood in the construction of important temples.

In moving from wood to stone, builders had to adapt to the differing properties of their building materials. Wood had run out and there was plenty of stone

– particularly marble– available

Stone is not crushed as easily as wood but it does not bend or twist as easily as wood

Early temples had massive pillars as architects worried about their ability to support the weight above.

Later temples appear more elegant.

Temple of Hera, Paestum

Hephaistion, Athens

IMPORTANT STRUCTURES – THE ACROPOLIS The Acropolis of Athens is

the best known in the world Acropolis means high city,

or “sacred rock” The Acropolis is a flat-

topped rock which rises 150 m above sea level in the city of Athens.

The most famous Greek buildings topped the Acropolis of Athens The MOST famous of

these is the PARTHENON

TEMPLES - PURPOSE- Unlike modern

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

- - They were homes for the community’s gods or goddesses and a place to keep offerings

In the mild climate of Greece, ceremonies generally took place outdoors.

Even the altars, upon which sacrifices were made, were outside the temple structure.

PARTS OF A GREEK TEMPLE There are four

distinct parts to a Greek temple. The bottom,

horizontal part is the steps.

Most Greek temples had three of them.

The second section is vertical and is the column. Most columns had a base (though not the

Doric), at the bottom, a shaft in the middle, and a column at the top.

The shaft may be smooth or fluted.

Above the column is the entablature. This is the grouping of horizontal bands that sit on the column. If the column is the leg, think of this as the tabletop. It has 3 parts: the

architrave, a kind of base. The frieze, a decorated part The cornice the top.

The top section (the fourth part) is like a triangle and is called the pediment.

Sits on top of the entablature

THE CLASSICAL ORDERS

The three classical orders are: Doric Ionic Corinthian

THE DORIC ORDER Doric columns are the

heaviest in appearance

The capital (the top of the column) is plain looks like the column is

going up to a “pillow” The shaft is thicker

than other columns There is no base

THE IONIC ORDER These have greater elegance. The Ionic capital looks like a

scroll. The Ionic column is thinner

than the Doric The capital has distinctive flutes. A base is apparent.

THE CORINTHIAN ORDER This is also a tall, elegant form. Skinniest of the columns Most elaborate capital The capital has distinctive leaf decoration. A base is also employed.