1. Greek architecture

2. Three Main Greek Architectural Column Designs
Greek architecture is comprised of three main column designs: doric, ionic, and corinthian
As you can tell from many Greek structures, Greeks used columns in a lot of their structures
Each design is unique in it’s own way
In modern day, these column designs are still used

3. Doric Columns Of the the three Greek columns, Doric are the simplest
The column has a top made of a circle and topped by a square
The tall part of the column is plain and has twenty sides
Doric columns have no sides

4. Ionic Columns Ionic columns are taller than Doric columns
Ionic columns also had flutes, flutes are lines carved into the columns from top to bottom
The bases of Ionic columns are large and looks like set of stacked rings
Ionic columns have scroll shaped carvings at the top and are more decorative than Doric columns

5. Corinthian Columns Corinthian columns are the most decorative
The top of the columns are carved into flowers and leave below a small scroll
The base of Corinthian columns are the same as Ionic columns

6. Examples of Doric Columns
One major example of Doric columns on a Greek structure is of the Parthenon in Greece
The Parthenon is one of the most famous buildings on Earth
The Hephaisteion, in Athens, is another good example of Doric columns

7. Examples of Ionic Columns
An example of Ionic columns would be the Temple of Athena in Athens
The Temple of Athena is one of the most famous Ionic buildings ever
Many modern day buildings also use Ionic columns

8. Examples of Corinthian Columns
A good example of a building with Corinthian columns is the Temple of the Sybil in Rome
Romans used Corinthian Columns like the Greeks did

9. Origin of Doric Columns
Doric columns originated within Greece and were used by both Greece and Rome
Doric columns were originally made of wood

10. Origin of Ionic Columns
Ionic columns were invented Ionia, the southwestern coastland and islands of Asia Minor, settled by Ionic Greeks
Ionic columns were practiced in the mainland of Greece and were most popular between 750 B.C. and 480 B.C. in Ionia

11. Origin of Corinthian Columns
The name “Corinthian” is derived from the Greek city of Corinth
Although, Corinthian columns first appeared in Athens

12. Greek Construction Methods
Greeks constructed their buildings with specific methods
Greeks would lay their masonry and then cut it exactly how they wanted it
They used a coating composed of marble dust and lime

13. The Valley of Temples
The Valley of Temples consists of seven Greek temples located outside the city of Agrigento, Sicily
The temple of Concordia is the best preserved in the Valley and is one of the largest and best Doric style temples still standing
Some other temples include the Temple of Juno and the Temple of Heracles

14. Temple of Hephaestus
Located to the North of Acropolis, the Temple of Hephaestus is the best preserved Greek temple in the world
The Temple of Hephaestus was dedicated to Hephaestus, the Greek god of metal working
The Temple of Hephaestus was designed by Ictinus, one of the architects who also worked on the Parthenon

15. Paestum Temples
Paestum is an ancient city in southern Italy home to three well-preserved Greek temples
The oldest temple is the Temple of Hera, built around 550 B.C. by Greek colonists
The next temple was built about a century later and was also dedicated to Hera, the goddess of marriage and childbirth
The third temple is the Temple of Athena, which was built in about 500 B.C.