Greek Architecture Social Studies

Greek Architecture During the Greek Dark Ages the palaces were burned, and the roads and bridges and dams mostly fell apart. But at the end of the Dark Ages, with the beginning of the Iron Age and the Archaic period in Greece, we see a new type of building: the temple for the gods. These earliest temples are built in the Doric style. There are houses, but no more palaces. But roads and bridges and stone walls begin to be built again.templegodsDoric style

Greek Architecture In the Classical period, there are more temples, bigger and with new design ideas: the Parthenon is built in the 440's BC. People begin to build in the Ionic style. Democracy prevents the Greeks from building palaces or big tombs, because politically all men are supposed to be equal, and so it would look bad to have a big palace even if you could afford it. Instead, the Greeks build public buildings: gymnasia, and stoas, where men can meet and talk. ParthenonIonic styleDemocracy

Greek Architecture By the 300's BC, in the Hellenistic period, there are some new architectural types. Less time is spent on temples. The new form is the theater, and many theaters are built all over the Greek world.theater Also, there is new interest in town planning at this time: streets begin to be laid out in straight lines, instead of just developing naturally. With the conquests of Alexander the Great, architecture becomes an important way to spread Greek culture and show who is in charge in the conquered countries.

Greek Architecture On the other hand, once the Romans conquer Greece, around BC, they too use architecture to show that they are in charge, and suddenly there is a lot of building in the Roman style. Corinthian architecture became more popular. About 400 AD, the Greeks convert to Christianity, and begin to build churches and monasteries.Corinthian

Three Types of Columns Doric Ionic Corinthian

Parts of a Column Entablature –Cornice –Frieze –Architrave Capital Shaft Base

Parts of a Column Entablature – the horizontal part that spans between the columns. –Cornice - top –Frieze - middle –Architrave - bottom Capital – top part of the shaft Shaft – tall part of the column Base – bottom part of the column

Doric The earliest Greek temples were built in Doric style. Doric temples are simple and strong, not fancy.

Doric The Columns have no base, they just sit right on the floor. The top is plain At the top of the columns, there is a capital made of a small pillow in stone, and then a stone block, under the architrave. On the architrave, there are triglyphs and metopes.

Triglyphs and Metopes A pattern that can be found in the frieze. Triglyphs have three parts, and in between each one are the metopes. Sometimes the metopes are plain, others are decorated.

Ionic Order Ionic styles are a little fancier and more delicate than Doric temples, without being as elaborate as the Corinthian temples. Thinner and more elegant

Ionic Order The temples have a small base to stand on, instead of sitting right on the floor. They are still fluted, but they have more flutes than the Doric columns. The capital is a scroll-like design (a volute), under the architrave. More detailed! On the architrave, there is a continuous frieze where the triglyphs and metopes would be on a Doric temple.

Frieze A frieze is a long narrow band of sculpture that runs along the architrave of a Greek temple.

Fluted Columns Most Greek and Roman columns (but not all) were fluted – that means they had narrow channels running up and down them. Doric columns had 20 flutes while the Ionic columns had 24 flutes.

Corinthian Columns The Greeks never actually used the Corinthian column much, but the Romans used it a lot. The Corinthian style is fancier and heavier than the Ionic style.

Corinthian Columns In Corinthian temples, the columns had a fancier base to stand on. At the top of the columns, on the capital, there’s a stone carving of acanthus leaves, under the architrave. On the architrave, there is a continuous frieze where the triglyphs and metopes would be on the Doric temple.

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