Greek Architecture
Origins
• Our word “architecture”
comes from the Greek
architecton, which
means “master
carpenter.”
• Early Greek architecture
therefore used wood,
not stone.
• These early structures,
as well as those of mudbrick, have not
survived.
Wood Features in Stone
• By the 6th Century
BC, stone replaced
wood in the
construction of
important temples.
• Designs still reflected
their origins in wood,
however.
Origins
Origins
• In moving from wood to stone,
builders had to adapt to the
differing properties of their
building materials.
• Stone has greater resistance
strength than wood, but it lacks
flexibility strength (resistance to
bending or twisting).
• Therefore, columns of stone had
to be thick enough to resist
snapping or bending under
pressure.
Origins
• Greek temples, like
Egyptian temples,
used basic post-andbeam construction.
Origins
Temple of Hera, Paestum
Hephaistion, Athens
• Early temples had
massive pillars as
architects worried
about their ability to
support the weight
above.
• Later temples appear
more elegant.
Temples - Purpose
• Unlike modern churches or
mosques, Greek temples were
not meant to be meeting places
for religious gatherings.
• They were homes for the
community’s god or goddess
and a place to keep offerings.
• A image or statue was usually
located in the middle of the
naos, or chapel.
Temples - Purpose
• In the mild climate of Greece, ceremonies
generally took place outdoors.
• Even the altar, upon which sacrifices were made,
was outside the temple structure.
Temple Forms
• Greek temples, like
Egyptian ones, tended
to follow set patterns.
• Variations are few and
usually reflect one of
the classical orders,
rather than new and
novel design.
The Classical Orders
• The three
classical orders
are:
– Doric
– Ionic
– Corinthian
The Doric Order
• Doric columns are the
heaviest in appearance
• The capital, or top of
the column is plain.
• The shaft is thick –
though it loses some
of its mass over time.
• There is no base.
The Ionic Order
• This order has greater
elegance.
• The capital has distinctive
volutes, or curled scroll
designs.
• The column is thinner
than in the Doric order.
• There is a base.
The Corinthian Order
• This is also a tall,
elegant form.
• The capital has
distinctive acanthus
leaf decoration.
• It has a base.
Parts of a Greek Temple
• The next 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 capital at the top.
– The shaft may be
smooth or fluted.
Parts of a Greek Temple
• Above the column is
the entablature.
• If the column is the
leg, think of this as
the tabletop.
Parts of a Greek Temple
PEDIMENT:
Depicted scenes
related to the
god/goddess of
that temple.
Plans of Greek Temples
• The greatness and value
of a temple can be seen
in the number of
columns it has.
• Simple temples have
blank walls around a
naos, or chapel. With
an open area or porch in
front with two or four
supporting columns.
Designs of Greek Temples
Designs of Greek Temples
• Grander temples, like
the Parthenon, had
columns surrounding
the entire structure.
Reconstruction of the Parthenon
in Nashville.
Designs of Greek Temples
Designs of Greek Temples
• Grander still, and
generally from the
Hellenistic age, are
dipteral temples.
• They have an inner and
outer row of columns
surrounding them.
Artist’s reconstruction of the Temple of
Artemis, Ephesus, Turkey
Designs of Greek Temples
Important Structures – The
Acropolis
• The most
famous
Greek
buildings
topped the
Athenian
Acropolis.
Greek Homes
The homes of the
farmers and laborers
were usually small
and made of mudbrick.
The middle and
upper class Greeks
lived in houses very
similar to modern
houses today.
Andron =
• ________________
Gynaeceum =
• _________________
What social class do
you think is
represented by this
picture?
Other architectural features…
The Greek Heritage
• Greek architecture
had a lasting
impact on the
world.
• The Romans
adopted it as an
ideal, but modified
it to meet their
practical needs.
The Greek Heritage
• Today, elements of
Greek architecture
surround us
everywhere, from the
Doric columns gracing
local homes to the
great Ionic capitals of
the Vancouver Art
Gallery.
The Greek Heritage
• Greek forms
have become an
integral part of
the vocabulary
of world
architecture
The Supreme Court of the United States