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ARC 110History of Architecture I

Module 6Ancient Greek Architecture

Module Outline Lecture 17

Historical Background Location and period Social characteristics and beliefs

Lecture 18 Architecture of the Civilization

Greek Orders Temple Architecture Civic Architecture

Lecture 19 Greek City Planning and Design Greek Architecture in Athens

Lecture 20 Architectural Characteristics

Buildings and other architectural elements Building materials, construction and technologies Architectural Organizing principles

Module Learning Outcomes

What do we expect to learn from the civilization? Stone construction and decoration The introduction of Proportion in Architecture The introduction of the classical orders of

architecture Greek architecture of temples and civic

buildings Principles of Greek city Planning and Design

Module 6 Lecture 17Ancient Greek Architecture

Outline of Lecture

Lecture 17Historical Background

Location and period Social characteristics and beliefs

Historical Background

Historical BackgroundLocation

Greek civilization occurred in the area around the Greek mainland, on a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea

It started in cities on the Greek mainland and on islands in the Aegean Sea

Towards the later or Hellenistic period, Greek civilization spread to other far away places including Asia Minor and Northern Africa

Historical BackgroundLocation

Most of the Greek mainland was rocky and barren and therefore bad for agriculture

Most Greeks therefore lived along the coastline or on islands where the soil was good for farming

The Aegean and Mediterranean Seas provided a means of communication and trade with other places

Historical Background Period

The period of ancient Greek history can be divided into four as follows: 1100 B. C. 750 B. C. Greek Dark Ages 750 B. C. 500 B. C. Archaic Period 5000 B. C. 323 B. C. Classical Period 323 B. C. 147 B. C. Hellenistic Period

The classical and archaic period are sometimes collectively referred to as Hellenic period


Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC) The Mycenaean people were Greek in Origin

Greek civilization is therefore usually viewed as a continuation of the Mycenaean civilization

The start of the Greek civilization is therefore dated to the end of the Mycenaean civilization in 1100BC

Following the decline of Mycenae, the area around the Greek mainland went into a period of decline that is referred to as the Greek Dark ages


Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC) Greece became depopulated with groups of

people moving out of mainland Greece towards the islands of the Aegean

Mycenaean and Greek culture dwindled and many cultural elements including writing, art and architectural techniques were lost

Trade with Asia Minor, the Middle East and Egypt, which was at the root of Cretan prosperity stopped entirely


Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC) As Greek people migrated from the mainland, other

people from other less prosperous mountain regions of the north migrated to the more fertile coastline regions

They invade the Greek mainland villages and established their rule

The northerners brought with them a Greek dialect called Dorian, as opposed to the Ionic Greek spoken by the main settlers

The two dialects and cultures later mixed together to create a Hellenic culture, which is at the root of ancient Greek civilization


Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC) These two dialects became equated with

characteristic architectural forms that evolved in them

In the period following the invasion by the Dorians, there was a shift in lifestyle that produced a sedentary agricultural lifestyle and society.

Sedentary lifestyle allowed the Greeks to rediscover urbanized culture that ultimately led to evolution of classical Greek culture


Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC) The revival of Greece from the dark ages

started during the eight century BC The Greeks developed a new political form

called city states City states are cities which are ruled as

independent nations The archaic period saw the renewal interest in

overseas trading contact


Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC) Greek societies that were engaged in trade

became rich and by joining with other their neighbors, sometimes forcefully, formed large states

The polis or city state emerged as the natural and desirable political entity

Early examples of these city states include Athens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta on the mainland, and in the Eastern Aegean, Samos, Chios, Smyrna, Ephesus and Miletus


Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC) The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocratic

families; families that are considered noble or of higher status

The archaic period was dominated politically by the leading aristocratic families in each city state acting in concert or squabbling amongst themselves for supremacy

At times individual aristocrats were able to take advantage of popular dissatisfaction to seize authoritarian power

Such rulers were called tyrants


Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC) Such tyrants stimulated the development of

the arts through their patronage The archaic period marked the beginnings of

Greek monumental stone sculpture and architecture

Around 546 BC, the rising Persian Empire conquered some Greek city states

The rising threat of the Persian Empire marked the end of the Greek archaic period and of classical Greek culture


Classical period (500 - 323 BC) The Classical period of ancient Greek history

occurred between 500 BC, and 323 BC. The period started with the Greek city states

coming into conflict with the rising Persian Empire

The free Greek cities saw the threat that was developing from the Persian Empire and prepared for resistance

A seaborne expedition by the Persians to Athens was defeated at Marathon in 490 BC


Classical period (500 - 323 BC) Under the Persian King Xerxes, Persia attempted a

retribution in 479 BC and was defeated by an alliance of the Greek states headed by Sparta

The Greek alliance soon transformed into an Empire under the leadership of Athens

Pericles, the ruler of Athens between 444 and 429 BC became a driving force for the development of temple architecture

Pericles used the defense revenue from the alliance for temple building in Athens to thank the Gods


Classical period (500 - 323 BC) Athens reached its greatest political and cultural

heights during the classical period The full development of the democratic system of

government occurred under Pericles The Parthenon on the Acropolis at Athens was built Philosophical schools such as those of Socrates and

Plato were founded Between 431 and 404, Athens entered into a series of

wars with Sparta which left it in ruins The fall of Athens gradually led to political chaos in

the whole of Greece The 4th century saw the rise of Macedonia as a

power in the region


Classical period (500 - 323 BC) The Macedonian king, Philip rapidly extended

Macedonian power and wealth In 338 BC, he defeated a coalition of the

major Greek Cities including Athens and Thebes, and created a federation of all Greeks with him as the leader

He proposed a crusade against the Persians but was assassinated before undertaking it


Classical period (500 - 323 BC) His son Alexander undertook the crusade and

established himself as the ruler of the former Persian empire

Alexander undertook a lot of military campaigns to extend the Greek empire and founded many new cities such as Alexandria in Egypt

He died in 323 BC without a heir to inherit him The Death of Alexander marked the end of

the classical period of Greece civilization


Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC) The Hellenistic period of ancient Greek

civilization started with the death of Alexander in 323 BC

When Alexander died, he did not have a heir to inherit him

The Greek empire split into smaller states with Alexanders generals as their rulers


Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC) The period saw the transplanting of Greek art,

civic life and culture to newly conquered areas

The period also saw a marked increase in interest in civic buildings

The Hellenistic period ended in 147 BC, when the Roman Empire conquered Greece and incorporated the city states into it

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs

Introduction Greek civilization is the first major civilization in Europe Greek civilization along with the Roman civilization are

said to be at the root of current western civilization They two are referred to as classical cultures because

of their recognition as the root of western civilization Greek and Roman architecture are also referred to as

classical architecture Greek civilization started with the mingling of two Greek

cultures, the Dorian and the Ionian to create a single Hellenic culture

The two developed a sedentary agricultural and commercial society that ultimately gave birth to the concept of the city state


Societal Organization- The city state The ancient Greeks lived in self governing city-states

called "polis." The city-states were small, independent communities

which were male-dominated and bound together by race.

The ancient Greek world was made up of hundreds of these independent city states

The polis started as a defensible area to which farmers of an area could retreat in the event of an attack as in the Mycenaean citadels

Over time, towns grew around these defensible areas.


Societal Organization- The city state Every polis was different from another, even though

there were similarities between them They were all bounded by common language and

religious beliefs They all made efforts to preserve their own unique

identity, and each city state believed that their state was better than all the other states

The city states often fought with one another. The city state of Athens on the Greek mainland was

among the most famous and powerful of the city states


Societal Organization- The city state It was a major center for learning and the arts. When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by

a few wealthy men. However, they gradually moved towards democracy. Athens developed an early form of democracy How did they make laws? Only men who were born in

Athens were allowed to vote. They did this at public assemblies where upper class

citizens discussed and adopted laws that might benefit Athens.


Social Organization And Responsibility The scale of the polis was small. The philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that the

polis should be of a small size, so that members know each other personally

The ideal size of a city state was fixed at 5040 males by Plato

Citizens in any polis were related by blood and so family ties were very strong.

Membership of the polis was hereditary and could not be passed to persons outside the family


Social Organization And Responsibility The society of the polis had a social hierarchy with

citizens at the top, followed by people who are not citizens and finally slaves

Public life was for male citizens while women were secluded in the house

Greek citizens did not have rights but duties All citizens were directly involved in politics, justice,

military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.

It was not acceptable for Greek citizens to refuse to carryout their responsibilities


Religious Belief The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, believing in

many different gods and goddesses The God were regarded as all powerful but similar to

human beings in their passions, desires and appetite All aspect of life was under the protection of the gods,

and they controlled everything, from the waves in the ocean to the winner of a race.

All the gods and goddesses had specific roles, controlling one or two major aspects of life

Zeus was, for example, the supreme leader of the gods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and Poseidon was the god of the sea


Religious Belief The essential concept in religious practice was that of

contract, of obligation and the paying of obligation Humans call on the gods for protection and make

offerings to the gods to secure this Ancient Greeks believed that religion would make

their lives better while they were living. They also believed that the gods would take care of

them when they died. Religious belief was constantly changing and

developing as new cults were introduced from time to time


Place of Worship Temples were the focus of Greek religious worships Temples were usually built in the cities of the Gods

called Acropolis Temples were built in every town and city for one or

more god or goddess The temples were considered as offerings to the gods Each community was therefore under pressure to

make them beautiful as possible


Place of Worship The temples were also considered as the house of

the gods They were not designed for functional use They usually consist of a large open hall called

sanctuary where the statue of the god to whom it is dedicated is kept

The temples were the places for routine festivals to the gods

The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and then a parade to the temple where they made sacrifices and had a feast.

Animals were usually sacrificed as a gift to the gods


Architecture in service of religion Architecture in Greece Started in the Service of

Religions Temples were the abode of gods The Greeks regarded beauty as an attribute of the

gods and the conscious pursuit of beauty as a religious exercise.

The most important task for architects was how to make the temple beautiful

The search for ways to express architectural beauty made the Greek civilization among the first to have established ideals of beauty


Architecture in service of religion The Greeks convinced themselves that the secrets of

beauty lie in proportions Man was viewed by the Greeks as having the most

ideal proportions and is the measure of all things Greek developed a system of building proportion that

reflected those of the human body With time, they refined their system of building

proportion, and developed the classical Greek orders which we will soon explore


Architecture in service of religion The principal building material of the ancient

Greeks was stone Clay and timber were also used Timber was used mostly for roofing and its

scarcity coupled with limitations in its length imposed restrictions on the width of buildings

Temples were the main building type and it was used as a decoration element by every city


Architecture in service of religion Greek society also made buildings other than temples These evolved in response to changes in need with

time The most common buildings are amphitheaters,

council halls, public fountains and theatres, gymnasia, schools and libraries, public baths and lavatories

As these civic buildings emerge, treatment once reserved for temple was extended to them even though on a less grander scale than in the temples


Architecture in service of religion Greek construction was of a simple post and lintel or

trabeated construction Their ground plans were always very simple, usually

rectangular With a combination of simple ground plans and

trabeated construction, they were able to create amazing buildings

Buildings were constructed by skilled craftsmen who were in demand and traveled from one state to the other for construction work

Designs were done on the ground by measuring out the foundation


Architecture in service of religion Blocks of stone were ordered from the quarry Blocks were given initial preparation on the building

site Blocks were large and retained in position by their

own weight; it was not necessary to fix them together in any way

Roofs were of wood beams and rafters cut to square shapes with tile roof

Carvings and other decorative work were finished when the building is completed


Other Activities and Achievements Greek society contributed to the earliest development

of science and scientific inquiry

Greeks attempted to explain the world through the laws of nature.

Greeks found out that the earth was round and A Greek person is credited as being the first to measure the circumference of the Earth

The Greeks also made significant contributions to the arts, particularly in sculpture and painting


Other Activities and Achievements They wrote many stories and plays that continue to

be performed today. The ancient Greeks were huge sports fans and sports

was considered a part of religion Every four years, the Greeks held the Olympic Games

in the stadium at Olympia. The best athletes in Greece competed in different

events Because the games were religious, anyone who was

caught cheating during the games was never allowed to compete again

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

Lecture 18Architecture of the Civilization

Greek Orders Temple Architecture Civic Architecture

Architecture of the Civilization

The Orders Introduction

Refer to the entire set of formthat makes up the principal elevation of a temple.

Composed of a base, an upright column or support with its capital, and the horizontal entablature.

All the parts of an order are proportionally derived from the size of the base of the column.

It determines all aspects of the elevation of a building including its shape and the arrangement and proportion of its parts


Greeks are credited with originating the three orders of the classical language of architecture, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

Columns were understood by the Greeks to be anthropomorphic or representative of the body of a human

The base suggests the feet, the shaft the torso and the capital the head.


Each order had its own conventions about the design of the entablature

The entablature is divided into three sections; the cornices, the frieze and the architrave

According the rules of classical architecture, the entablature should always be divisible into these three zones

The Orders Doric Order

The Doric order was the earliest to be developed

By the 6th century, a set of universal proportions for the Doric temple had been developed.

The Doric order is made up of three elements; stylobate, Column and entablature

The stylobate is a podium raised three steps on which the temple sits

The Doric column is further divided into the shaft and a square capital

The Orders Doric Order

It had a height of between 5 and 6 times its diameter.

The shaft is tapered and made to bulge slightly to provide correction for optical illusion.

The shaft is usually divided into 20 shallow flutes.

The entablature is divided into an architrave, a frieze and the cornice.

The Doric column represents the proportions of a mans body, its strength and beauty.

Doric Order Entasis

A characteristic of the Doric order is the use of entasis

Entasis refers to the practice of optical correction in Greek Doric temples

All buildings are arranged with a slight curve to correct for optical illusion when they are viewed

This is done to counteract the concave appearance produced by straight edges in perspective

The shaft of the column is built to be slightly convex in shape for optical correction

Columns were also built with a slight tilt

Doric Order Entasis

The drawing to the right explains entasis

Diagram one on top shows how the ancient Greeks wanted the temple to appear

If the temple is built without correction, then diagram two shows how it would actually appear

To ensure that it appears correctly as desired in one, the Greeks introduced the distortions shown in diagram three

The application of entasis is an expression of the desire for perfection by Greek architects

The best example of the application of entasis is found in the Parthenon

The Orders Ionic Order

The Ionic order evolved and took its name from Ionia in modern day Turkey

The ionic column including the capital and base had a height of 9 to 10times its diameter

It had 24 flutes, which is more than that of the Doric column, even though it is smaller in diameter.

The flutes were rounded at the top and bottom.


The Ionic order had a capital developed from a pair of voluteabout two-thirds the diameter of the column in height

Ornaments are used to decorate the area between the capital and the volute

The Ionic column has a base One of the limitations of the Ionic

order is that it is designed to be seen from the front only


At the corner of rectangular buildings, an angular volute had to be used.

Entasis was not applied to the ionic column

The Ionic column is said to represent the shape of a women with its delicacy and feminine slenderness.

The Orders Corinthian Order

The Corinthian order takes its name from the city of Corinth in Greece

It however appeared to have been developed in Athens in the 5th century BC

This order is similar in its proportions to the Ionic orderbut has a different capital

The core of the capital is shaped like an inverted bel.

The bell-like capital is decorated with rows of carved acanthus leaves

The Orders Corinthian Order

The rich decorative effect of the Corinthian capital made it attractive.

Because of its symmetry, the Corinthian capital unlike the ionic capital is designed to be seen from all directions

The Corinthian column, the most beautifully ornate of the three orders represents the figure of a maiden

This order was not extensively used during the Greek period

It became popular during the ancient Roman period

The Orders Column Construction

Do you wonder how the columns of the Greek orders were constructed?

Each column was made up of several drums of marble

They were held together by a stone peg in the center

The stones were assembled and put together in their rough form

The Orders Column Construction

The capital was also carved out

After they were put together, the grooves called flutes were cut up and down the shaft of the column and all around it

This gave the column its slim and elegant look

Temple Architecture Introduction

The most important Greek building was the temple

The temple had the finest building materials and the richest decoration.

It was also the most complex of architectural form.

It was designed not to hold worshippers, but as symbolic dwelling of the gods

The temple is usually rectangular in plan

It is lifted on a podium, and in plan has colonnades on all its external sides

Temple Architecture; Introduction The number of columns is always

even to allow the location of the entrance in the center; temples with odd number of columns are uncommon

Temples with 2 columns in front are diastyle, 4-tetrastyle, 6-hexastyle, 8-octastyle and 10-decastyle

Greek temples usually have twice the number of columns in front plus one by the side; A hexastyletemple =six columns in front & thirteen on side

Temple Architecture; Introduction Colonnades define a portico around the temple The temple building is made up of four walls

enclosing a rectangular space called the naos or sanctuary

This was the house of the god to whom the temple is dedicated

The interior rectangular space of the naos is framed by a pair of colonnades on the long side creating a central processional space

At the head of the processional space is the statue of the god to whom the temple is dedicated

The temple interior was generally dark, with only the entrance as a source of light

Temple Architecture; Introduction The temple always faced east so

that the rising sun would light the statues inside

Temples were designed to be admired from the outside rather than used

The Greek temple is believed to originate from the Mycenaean megaron

From the megaron, it went through several stages of evolution as shown in the diagram

By 500 BC, the final form of the Greek temple had emerged

Temple Architecture Doric Temple

The Doric temple is based on the Doric order

Both the Doric order and temple went through a simultaneous process of evolution

The Basilica at Paestum550 BC is an example of early Doric temple

It was built during the archaic period of Greek civilization

Temple Architecture Doric Temple

The columns on the front are 9, while on the sides they are 18

The Doric columns appear heavy in comparison with later temples

The columns have a bulge, pointing to the practice of optical correction or entasis by the time of its construction

The capitals are also huge, heavy and very wide

Doric Temple Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

The Temple of Aphaia at Aegina 490 BC is a later temple than the Basilica at Paestum

Temple of Aphaia is much less heavy than Paestum

The entablature is less thick

The columns are slimmer with less entasis or bulge

The capitals are also smaller

Doric Temple Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

This temple is hexastyle but has only 12 flanking columns-early temple

The interior columns are divided into a row of two columns separated by an architrave

This allowed the designers to avoid using columns with a large diameter

The temple has triangular pediment on n the Eastern and Western sides decorated with stories from Greek myths

Doric TemplesTemple of Hera Argiva at Paestum

The Temple of Hera Argiva(or Neptune) at Paestum460 BC was built later than the Temple of Aphaia

It is one of the best preserved of all Greek temples

It is more mature in its proportions than all the others examined

The columns are 8.8 meters high and about 4.3 times their lower diameter

Doric TemplesTemple of Hera Argiva at Paestum

The temple is hexastyle but with 24 columns on its flank

It also has a double row of columns in the interior, and divided into two separated by a stone architrave

The most perfect of the Doric temples is the Parthenon; We will examine this temple later

Ionic Temples Introduction

Ionic temples were built using the Ionic order

The most famous of the Ionic temples is the temple of Artemis at Ephesus

It was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient World

It was commissioned by Alexander the Great and was believed to have been built and destroyed several times

Unfortunately the temple has not survived to the present time

Ionic Temples Introduction

There are also uncertainties about its arrangement in plan

The temple stands on a platform 2.7 meters high

It had 36 columns in its front and they had an additional relief sculpture at the base

The best surviving Ionic temples is the Temple of Athena located at the Acropolis at Athens

Corinthian TemplesIntroduction

The Corinthian order was not widely used during the Greek period

Earliest known example is inside the 5th century Temple of Apollo at Bassae.

The temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens was in the Corinthian order

The column was constructed in 131 A.D. well after the Roman conquest of Greece

The Corinthian order became very popular during the Roman period.

Civic Architecture Introduction

During the Hellenistic period Greeks became very fascinated by civic buildings

Treatments once reserved for temples and the gods, were gradually extended to civic and government buildings.

The Agora or market place also became very important in Greek cities.

The theater and council chamber are examples of civic buildings found in every Greek city

Civic Architecture Theaters Theater Epidarus

The Greeks invented the theater design that is still used in movies and auditoriums today

Every important Greek city had a theater

Their theater was built into a hilly landscape

The theater had a bank of seats steps created from the landscape

Civic Architecture Theaters Theater Epidarus

The theater had a bank of seats steps created from the landscape

It would usually commands a view to the landscape

The image shown is of theater Epidaurus

This was the largest theater in ancient Greece

It is still in use today

Civic Architecture Council Chamber Bouleterion, Miletus

The Bouleterion is where the Boule or council of the city state met

It was a covered chamber fitted with banks of seats like a theater

The example shown is from the city of Miletus

Similar buildings were found in every Greek or Hellenistic city

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

Lecture 19 Greek City Planning and Design

Greek Architecture in Athens

Greek City Planning and Design

Greek City Planning and Design Planning and Design Principles

The ancient Greek civilization had established principles for planning and designing cities

City form were of two types Old cities such as Athens had irregular street

plans reflecting their gradual organic development

New cities, especially colonial cities established during the Hellenistic period, had a grid-iron street plan

Certain things were common among cities

Greek City Planning and Design Planning and Design Principles

Towns had fixed boundaries and some were protected by fortifications

Much of the town was devoted to public use The Greek City was usually divided into three

parts; the acropolis, the agora and the town. Site planning and design was centered on the

appreciation of buildings from the outside. The location of buildings was therefore such that

it could command a good view to it.

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Acropolis

The Acropolis was the city of temples It is the location where all the major temples of a

city are located It was built to glorify the gods Greeks considered high places to be important &

sacred The Acropolis were usually located on the highest

ground Other public buildings such as gymnasia, stadia,

and theaters were generally regarded as part of religious rituals

They are normally found attached on lower ground to the hills of the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Agora

The Agora was the most important gathering place in a Greek city

It started as an open area where the council of the city met to take decisions

With time buildings were constructed to define and enclose the space

It also transformed into a place for combined social, commercial and political activities

It emerged as the heart of Greek intellectual life and discourse.

It was usually located on a flat ground for ease of communication

It was placed to be easily accessible from all directions In many cities, it is also located close to the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Town

The town was where the people lived This was the domain of women, who did

not have any public role Early Greek towns had an irregular street

pattern, resulting from its organic growth Later Hellenistic towns such as Prienne

had a formal rectilinear pattern The town was made up of only residential

houses

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Town

Houses were usually constructed of mud bricks

Houses were of the courtyard type, with rooms arranged around a courtyard

Houses vary according to standing in the society

Houses of poor people were very simple compared to the house of the rich, which had more rooms and better finishing

Greek Architecture in AthensArchitecture, Planning & Design

Athens is a very good example of a typical ancient Greek city

The city has the three components of acropolis, agora and town found in a Greek city

The Acropolis and Agora in Athens also have some of the best examples of ancient Greek architecture

We will examine the Acropolis and Agora in Athens to understand Greek architecture, planning and city design.

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Acropolis in Athens

The acropolis in Athens was a religious precinct located on one of the hills of the city.

The Earliest versions of the Buildings in the Acropolis existed until 480 BC

In 480 BC, the Persians under Xerxes burnt Athens and the Acropolis to the ground

Not long after that the Greeks defeated the Persians

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Acropolis in Athens

The Acropolis in Athens was rebuilt in about 450 BC

The rebuilding of the Acropolis was begun by Pericles, the wise statesman who ruled from 460 BC to 429 BC

Pericles commissioned artist and architects to build a new city of temples to glorify the gods

The acropolis combined Doric orders and ionic orders in a perfect composition in four buildings; the Propylea, the Parthenon, the Erechtheumn, and the temple of Nike.

Greek Architecture in Athens Acropolis Athens

The best example of Greek emphasis on visualization in design and site planning is seen at the Acropolis at Athens

All the buildings on the Acropolis are designed to be seen than use

All the temples on the Acropolis are place at an angle that enables them to be seen on two sides

If a building cannot see be from two sides, it is completely hidden

Greek Architecture in Athens Acropolis Athens

From the entry at the Propylae, a visitor has a view of all the prominent buildings in the Acropolis

Buildings are also position at a distance that ensures the appreciation of their details

The central axis of view from the propylae is left free of building for a view into the country side

Greek Architecture in Athens Propylae

The propylae is the entrance to the Acropolis

It was built around 437 B.C by Mnesicles

The image highlights what is currently left of the propylae

To reach the acropolis, people had to enter through the center section of the propylae

The two wings on either side were never finished

The columns on the outside of the propylae were Doric

The columns in the interior were however Ionic

Greek Architecture in Athens Propylae

Explanation for this is found in the proportions of the Doric and Ionic columns

If the Doric order were used in the interior, the height of the roof would make its diameter very large

To overcome this difficult, the designers used the Ionic column which is much slender than the Doric column

Inside the propylae was a library and picture gallery with a place for people to read and rest

In times of peace, the gates of the propylae were usually left wide open

When an enemy threatened, the wooden doors of the propylae were closed and there was no other access to the acropolis

Greek Architecture in Athens The Parthenon

The Parthenon was the most prominent building on the Athenian Acropolis

It was designed by Ictinus and Callicrates in 447 BC

The Parthenon is the most perfect Doric temple ever built.

It was lighter and more graceful than previous temples


It also embodies the perfection of the Greek system of proportioning

The proportions of the Parthenon are based on the proportions of a man, which is seven to one

The ideal human body was seven heads tall


The Parthenon is an octastyletemple with 8 columns in front and 17 columns by its side

In the Parthenon we also find the best example of the application of entasis

The Parthenon had two rooms in plan; the treasury, which is most often empty and the naos or inner sanctuary

An ivory gold statue of Athena, 11 meters tall carved by Phidas once stood in the noas or inner sanctuary of the Parthenon


The statue reached the wooden roof of the temple

Parts of the inside and outside of the Parthenon were once painted

The inside of the temple was often not used

Processions and ceremonies were held outside

The temples alter was placed on the Eastern side

During the Christian period, the Parthenon was used as a church


Later the Turks converted it into a Mosque

In 1687, the Turks used it to store ammunition and when they were attacked by the Venetians, it exploded

The images shows what remains of it

In 1801 An English man gathered the broken pieces and shipped them to the British museum in England

Greek Architecture in Athens The Erectheum

The erechtheum is located at the point of a mythical fight between Poseidon and Athena for the possession of Athens

Athena is believed to have won the fight and so Athens was named after her

The erechtheum was named after Erechtheus, the legendary king of Athens, whose mother was the goddess of the earth and whose father was the fire god


He was brought up by Athena and is believed to have judged the fight between Poseidon and Athena

The shape of the erechtheum is not a perfect rectangular and it does not have a colonnade surrounding it


Two porches spring out from the core rectangle of the temple at different levels

A small porch faces the Parthenon This has columns in the shape of a

woman called caryatid The caryatids are linked to a

historical story The caryatids are a people who

lived in Asia minor They were believed to have fought

with the Persians against the Greeks

When the Greeks won, they destroyed the cities of the caryatids


They killed all the men and brought back the women as slaves

For revenge the Greeks copied the Caryatid slave women in stone and forced them to carry the roof the Erechtheum for all time

The weight of the roof is carried from the top of the head of the caryatid through their leg

A larger porch on the northern side has ionic columns

The ionic columns have all the characteristics of the Ionic order

Greek Architecture in Athens Temple of Nike

Just beside the propylaeis the Temple of Athena Nike, meaning victorious Athena

It was built around 420 BC and was designed by Callicrates during the Peloponnesian wars

The Athenians worshipped Athena Nike in the hope of victory

Greek Architecture in Athens Temple of Nike

This is an ionic temple It had a pediment that

no longer exist The temple has an

entrance of four ionic columns on two sides

The temple looks the same from the front and back

Greek Architecture in Athens The Agora

The Agora in Athens was a space used for social, commercial and political activities

The Agora at Athens was located at the base of the hill of the Acropolis

Civic and religious buildings were progressively erected around the perimeter of the Agora space

Greek Architecture in Athens The Agora

Of all the buildings, the stoa was the most important

Stoas were useful buildings in the context of the Agora

They provided shelter and served for many other purposes

They also served to embellish the boundary of the Agora

Greek Architecture in Athens Introduction

The Agora at Athens contains other administrative buildings

There was the bouleterionfor the meeting of the council

There was also a tholos, a circular building where the standing committee of the council when in office dined at state expense

There were also two buildings for the meeting of the jury court.

Greek Architecture in Athens Introduction

And a shrine where the remains of Alexander was buried

The central area of the Agora was free of building

This image shows a reconstruction of how social life may have taken place in the Agora

People would be in the space of the Agora carrying out all sorts of activities with the Acropolis prominent in the background and the gods hopefully looking after them

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

Lecture 20 Architectural Characteristics

Buildings and other architectural elements Building materials, construction and

technologies Architectural Organizing principles

Architectural Characteristics

Buildings & Other Arch Elements

Buildings & Other Arch. Elements Building Types

The major architectural element of the Greek civilization is the order and their principal building type is the temple

Greek buildings also feature civic buildings such as theater, council chamber, stoa, etc

Greeks invented the classical orders of architecture Their invention of the orders was a result of the search for

rational methods of expressing beauty The orders embody a system of proportion that determines

how the whole building looks An order consist of a column shaft with its base and

capital, and an entablature All its dimensions were derived from the diameter of the

column The entablature is further divided into architrave, frieze and

cornice


Three orders of architecture were invented by Greeks; Doric, Ionic and Corinthian

Doric was the earliest and has a square capital and the stoutest proportion, resembling the power of a man

Ionic was taller in its proportion, has a volute capital and resembles the proportion of a maiden

Corinthian has the same characteristics with the Ionic except that its capital is decorated with the Acanthus leaf

Temples were the principal building types of the Greeks Temples were considered as house of the Gods and

efforts to beautify them pushed architectural development


Temples were design to be seen and appreciated rather than used

The evolution of the orders led to standard temple forms based on them

Towards the later part of the Greek civilization, there was also a focus on civic construction

The Greeks needed civic buildings to support their democratic institutions and also satisfy their social and recreational needs

Council chambers, theaters, Stoas, were among the civic buildings that became popular with the city states

Materials, Const. & Tech.

Materials, Construction & Tech. Materials

Examination of Greek architecture points to three common materials of construction

These are Stone, timber and clay Stone was the most common construction material for

buildings Greece had an abundant supply of stone, particularly

marble Stone was used for all types of temple and civic

construction It was used for all type of building elements The characteristic grey color of the stone of the area is

also what gives most ancient Greek buildings their characteristics color

Materials, Construction & Tech. Materials

Timber was used mainly for roofing It was a very scarce commodity and it also had

limited length This limited its use The limitation in length meant that the width of

buildings was restricted and only very important buildings such as the Parthenon could go beyond a certain width

We did not examine Houses but clay was used mostly in housing construction

Clay was made into sun dried blocks for use in construction

Materials, Construction & Tech. Construction and Technology

The principal Building Material of ancient Greece was stone

The principal construction system was trabeated or column and beam construction

Combined, the two were used for temples and civic buildings

Construction technology involves ordering stones in semi-prepared state from quarries,

On site, they were roughly shaped and placed in position on the building

Elements placed in position would be been sized to the right proportion


Building blocks were not bonded, but are rather held in position by their weight

Then the rough stones were finished to achieve the final form and treatment of the building

Finishing enables the builders to create buildings of a particular order

It is in finishing that the Greeks showed their mastery of construction

Finishing work involved creating the fluting, base and capital decoration on columns

The Frieze and cornices of buildings were also decorated with appropriate relief carving


Pediments were also finished with relief carvings, which in temples depict stories of the gods

Full statues of gods were also carved and placed on strategic places on the outside of the temple and also as the major element in the interior

The Greeks essentially formalized architectural sculpture and decoration

They were able to effectively translate their ideas of beauty into tangible buildings

Ancient Greeks did not make significant contributions in the aspect of building technologies

Principles of Arch. Organization

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles

It is possible to understand forces and principles shaping Greek architecture by examining the following issues; The role of religion in architectural

development Ideas about architectural aesthetics Principles of architectural organization Principles of city planning and urban design

Principles of Arch. Organization The Role of Religion in Arch. Dev.

Religion played a significant role in the development of Greek architecture

Architecture started in the service of religion The important question for Greek architects was

the right form of the temple Temples were the house of the Gods The duty of the architect was to make them

beautiful The search for how to make the temple beautiful

resulted in the establishment of Greek ideals of beauty

Greek ideals of beauty was rooted in mathematical proportions

Principles of Arch. Organization Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics

The Greeks believed that mathematical proportion is at the root of beauty

They also believed that the human body has the best of proportions

Greeks also valued harmony, balance and symmetry in design

Greeks developed principles based on their believes about aesthetics

These principles were refined over time as they are applied in building

With time they developed into a standard that is widely applied

Principles of Arch. Organization Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics

Builders exerted great effort in ensuring that buildings were created to meet the aesthetic ideals of the society

The Greeks in essence became the first society to have well established ideas about architectural aesthetics with principles for their translation into physical design

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of Organization

The Greek ideals of mathematical proportion was applied in architecture through the use of the orders

The orders provide a means to codify mathematical proportioning, by linking all the elements of the building with the diameter of the column

The orders were also viewed as anthropomorphic, representing the human body

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of Organization

The Doric represents a man and the Ionic and Corinthian represent a woman

The use of the orders also provided a means for the Greeks to design buildings to meet their ideals of harmony, balance and symmetry

The use of optical correction, entasis, is a pointer to the desire of the Greeks to achieve their ideals of beauty in architecture

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of City Planning & Design

Ancient Greeks not only develop ideals of architectural aesthetics, but they also developed principles for the design and planning of cities as location for architecture

The ancient Greek city states developed a standard plan of the city

The city consisted of three defined elements; the town, acropolis and Agora

Principles were developed for organizing each element of the city based on activities and its symbolism

The town was a place to retire for the day It was composed of simple courtyard houses separated

by streets It could either be organic or grid-iron

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of City Planning & Design

The Acropolis was the city of the gods This is where buildings reflecting the highest ideals of

beauty were placed to be seen rather than used The principle of its design is that of isolated objects

arranged in open space The objects are arranged to be seen in three-dimension The Agora was a mundane place for social, commercial

and political activities The principle of its design centers on creating boundaries

to contain space for activities In practice, stoas and other civic buildings are used to

loosely define the space These are usually treated with continuous colonnades or

porticoes along the side of the court with occasional penetrations by footpaths

End of Module 5

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