Ancient Greek Architecture: Orders, Temples, and Theaters
The Architecture Awards
Depending on the items listed, there are three orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Each order consists of load-bearing and supported elements:
Load-Bearing Construction
a. – The bearing construction is based on the column, shaft, and capital. The size corresponds to a canon. In some cases, the shaft is replaced by human figures: if they are female, they are called caryatids, and if they are male, they are called Atlantides.
Supported Element
b. – The supported element is the entablature, which consists of the architrave, frieze, and cornice.
Doric Order
Its creators were the Dorians. The first temples were built in wood and then stone. The Doric order is the most sober and manly due to its stocky proportions. The decor is austere.
The Column
a) – The column:
- No bases.
- The shaft is robust with sharp-edged grooves. Entasis is usually present.
- The capital consists of collars, a neck, and an abacus (square base).
The Entablature
b) – The entablature:
- The architrave is plain.
- The frieze is formed by:
- Triglyphs: three vertical grooves with drops beneath them.
- Metopes: square or rectangular spaces usually decorated with carved reliefs.
- The cornice: sits on the frieze with small mutules.
c) – The triangle above the cornice is the pediment. The tympanum is decorated with reliefs. At the height of the gable ends are the acroteria.
Ionic Order
It is a slimmer and more decorative order. It was created by the Greeks and is considered more feminine.
The Column
a) – The column:
- Has a base formed by scotia and torus moldings.
- The shaft is slender with rounded ends.
- The capital: It consists of a neck decorated with egg and dart, a motif called cyma. Above it is a pillow ending in scrolls on the sides. Above the scrolls is the abacus.
The Entablature
b) – The entablature:
- The architrave is composed of three bands.
- The frieze is plain or has a continuous relief.
- The cornice has a pediment, acroteria, and tympanum.
Corinthian Order
It is characterized by its capital. The rest is modeled after the Ionic order but with more moldings and decorative elements. The column can be slimmer. This order is more decorative and luxurious. The capital consists of two elements:
- The body is formed by two rows of acanthus leaves and caulicoles. The leaves curl at the corners and center.
- The upper body is formed by an abacus and is finely curved.
It was only used in the later periods of Greek art.
Composite Order
The capital is formed with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order and the scrolls of the Ionic order. It was rarely used as it was considered very crowded.
Greek Temple
It is the most typical type of building in Greek architecture. It is of major proportions. This building type, the megaron, comes from the pre-Hellenic period. Some were very simple and only had a chapel, while others had a more complex plan and may have had several stories. They consist of the following parts:
- Pronaos: entrance hall.
- Naos or cella: chapel of the god.
- Opistodomos: hall located at the rear.
- Peristyle: columns surrounding the temple.
Types of Temples
According to their structure and plan:
- Temple in antis: They usually have two columns between the walls of the front. It is the simplest type.
- Prostyle: With a columned portico on the front.
- Amphiprostyle: With a columned portico on the front and rear.
- Peripteral: Surrounded by columns forming a colonnade.
- Dipteral: Surrounded by two rows of columns.
- Monopteros: circular temple. If it is surrounded by columns, it is called a tholos.
Depending on the number of columns on the smaller fronts:
- Tetrastyle: With 4 columns at the front.
- Hexastyle: With 6 columns in front.
- Octasytle: With 8 columns at the front.
- Decastyle: With 10 columns in front.
Evolution of Greek Architecture
Archaic Period
The temples are made of stone. They are usually Doric temples made from porous limestone. The columns are often very coarse, with a very pronounced entasis. The capitals are very large with a projecting abacus.
- Temple of Hera in Paestum (Magna Graecia): set of columns = peristyle
Classical Period
The Acropolis was rebuilt, under the order of Pericles, after the Persian Wars:
- The Acropolis of Athens: situated on a hill. It is a holy city dedicated to the gods, walled, and at the top of the city. The entrance is the Propylaea.
- The Parthenon: It is the main temple of the Acropolis and the leading exponent of Greek art. It is dedicated to Athena Parthenos. It is a Doric temple, peripteral, and octasytle, twice as long as it is wide. It has a peristyle (surrounded by columns). The pronaos or porch consists of 6 columns and gives access to the cella, which is divided by two stories of columns into three naves. In the background is the statue of the goddess. At the rear is the opistodomos with a 6-column portico that leads to another room where they kept the treasure of the goddess and the treasury. The architects were Ictinus and Callicrates.
- Temple of Athena Nike: It is a small Ionic temple, amphiprostyle, tetrastyle, with a reduced cella. It was erected in honor of the victory over the Persians.
Hellenistic Period
The Corinthian order appears. Some of the Athenian buildings of this period are:
- Choragic Monument of Lysicrates: It is a memorial to Lysicrates. It is a small circular building or tholos.
Monumental temples appear, which vary in structure:
- The altar of Zeus at Pergamon (Asia Minor): It stands on a staircase with an Ionic portico of large dimensions. The decor is full of sculptural movement and drama, depicting the struggle between the gods and giants (The Gigantomachy).
Greek Theater
The theater is a Greek invention. It was built on the side of a hill for acoustics. It consists of three main parts:
- Theatron: has a semi-circular plan with tiers of seats.
- Orchestra: has a circular base. Dedicated to the choir, and in the middle is placed the altar of Dionysus, in whose honor the performance was made.
- Skene: was at ground level, where the performance took place.
Example:
- The Theater of Epidaurus: Dedicated to Dionysus. It is from the 4th century BC.