Ancient Greek Architecture: Ancient Greek Architecture Sonya Shapiro


Introduction To Architecture: Introduction To Architecture It was built with very simple shapes Usually rectangles and squares Mostly everything was made from limestone Only certain buildings were made from marble


Materials: Materials Wood – supports and roof beams Unbaked brick – walls Limestone and marble - columns, walls, and upper portions of temples and public buildings Terracotta - tiles and ornaments Metals, especially bronze – decorative details


Main Styles: Main Styles Doric Ionic Corinthian


Doric: Doric Used in mainland Greece Spread from the mainland to the Greek colonies in Italy Formal and austere


Ionic: Ionic More relaxed and decorative


Corinthian: Corinthian It was developed from the Ionic style but still more ornate


Greek Columns: Greek Columns Doric column Doric Entablature Doric Temple Ionic Column Ionic Entablature Ionic Capital Corinthian Entablature


Three Main Styles: Three Main Styles


Ages and Periods  (in order of time): Ages and Periods (in order of time) New Stone Age Early Bronze Age Later Bronze Age Greek Dark Ages Ionic and Archaic Period Classical Period Hellenistic Period


Temples: Temples Greek architecture mostly revolves around temples. They were used to celebrate civic power and pride. They are also used to offer thanksgiving to a patron deity after the success of war.


Temple Structure: Temple Structure Didn’t serve the function of modern churches The alter stood open under the sky in the temenos or sacred fane. The inner room of the temple, cela, served mainly as a strong room and storeroom, it was usually lined with columns.


Temple Structure continued: Temple Structure continued Temples served as storage places for the treasury associated with the cult of the god in question. A place for devotees of the certain God to leave their votive offerings: helmets, weapons, and statues


Tholos: Tholos A circular temple Propylon/porch is the entrance – the entrance to temple sanctuaries Fountain house - where women filled their vases with water from a public fountain Stoa - long narrow hall with an open colonnade on one side


Tholos continued: Tholos continued A palaestra or gynmasium – the social center for mail citizens One bouleuterion or council chamber - a large public building which served as a court house and as a meeting place for the town council


Propylon, Fountain house, Stoa, and Palaestra: Propylon, Fountain house, Stoa, and Palaestra


Tholos of Theodorus : Tholos of Theodorus


Acropolis- high city: Acropolis- high city Completely symmetrical Constructed of stone and white marble A church, mosque, and arsenal The Acropolis Hill/ Sacred Rock is the most important part of the city. The monuments on it reflect the successive phases in the cities history.


An Acropolis: An Acropolis


The Parthenon: The Parthenon Built for the Goddess Athena Between 477 and 438 BC Made from 22,000 tons of the finest marble The largest building on the acropolis Beautiful sculptures and carvings inside of it were some of the very best classical Greek art. The designer is unknown.


The Parthenon: The Parthenon


The Parthenon: The Parthenon This is a side view The columns appear to be straight but they really lean inward


Theaters: Theaters Tiered seating set in a semi-circle Built into natural slopes For public meetings and performances Seating surrounded a central performance area (orchestra)


Theaters continued: Theaters continued Behind orchestra was a low building called a skene skene: storeroom, dressing room, and backdrop


Epidaurus : Epidaurus Best known surviving theater


Ancient Greek Architecture: Ancient Greek Architecture The formulas invented by the Greeks as early as the sixth century B.C. have influenced the architecture of the past two millennia