ARC 110 History of Architecture I Module 6 Ancient Greek Architecture.

ARC 110History of Architecture I

Module 6

Ancient Greek Architecture

Module Outline• Lecture 17

– Historical Background• Location and period • Social characteristics and beliefs

• Lecture 18– Architecture of the Civilization

• Greek Orders• Temple Architecture• Civic Architecture

• Lecture 19• Greek City Planning and Design• Greek Architecture in Athens

• Lecture 20– Architectural Characteristics

• Buildings and other architectural elements• Building materials, construction and technologies• Architectural Organizing principles

Module Learning Outcomes

• What do we expect to learn from the civilization? – Stone construction and decoration– The introduction of Proportion in Architecture– The introduction of the classical orders of

architecture– Greek architecture of temples and civic

buildings– Principles of Greek city Planning and Design

Module 6 Lecture 17Ancient Greek Architecture

Outline of Lecture

• Lecture 17–Historical Background

• Location and period

• Social characteristics and beliefs

Historical Background

Historical BackgroundLocation

• Greek civilization occurred in the area around the Greek mainland, on a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea

• It started in cities on the Greek mainland and on islands in the Aegean Sea

• Towards the later or Hellenistic period, Greek civilization spread to other far away places including Asia Minor and Northern Africa

Historical BackgroundLocation

• Most of the Greek mainland was rocky and barren and therefore bad for agriculture

• Most Greeks therefore lived along the coastline or on islands where the soil was good for farming

• The Aegean and Mediterranean Seas provided a means of communication and trade with other places

Historical Background Period

• The period of ancient Greek history can be divided into four as follows: – 1100 B. C. – 750 B. C. Greek Dark Ages – 750 B. C. – 500 B. C. Archaic Period – 5000 B. C. – 323 B. C. Classical Period– 323 B. C. – 147 B. C. Hellenistic Period

• The classical and archaic period are sometimes collectively referred to as Hellenic period


• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)– The Mycenaean people were Greek in Origin

– Greek civilization is therefore usually viewed as a continuation of the Mycenaean civilization

– The start of the Greek civilization is therefore dated to the end of the Mycenaean civilization in 1100BC

– Following the decline of Mycenae, the area around the Greek mainland went into a period of decline that is referred to as the Greek Dark ages


• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)– Greece became depopulated with groups of

people moving out of mainland Greece towards the islands of the Aegean

– Mycenaean and Greek culture dwindled and many cultural elements including writing, art and architectural techniques were lost

– Trade with Asia Minor, the Middle East and Egypt, which was at the root of Cretan prosperity stopped entirely


• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)– As Greek people migrated from the mainland, other

people from other less prosperous mountain regions of the north migrated to the more fertile coastline regions

– They invade the Greek mainland villages and established their rule

– The northerners brought with them a Greek dialect called Dorian, as opposed to the Ionic Greek spoken by the main settlers

– The two dialects and cultures later mixed together to create a Hellenic culture, which is at the root of ancient Greek civilization


• Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)– These two dialects became equated with

characteristic architectural forms that evolved in them

– In the period following the invasion by the Dorians, there was a shift in lifestyle that produced a sedentary agricultural lifestyle and society.

– Sedentary lifestyle allowed the Greeks to rediscover urbanized culture that ultimately led to evolution of classical Greek culture


• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)– The revival of Greece from the dark ages

started during the eight century BC– The Greeks developed a new political form

called city states– City states are cities which are ruled as

independent nations– The archaic period saw the renewal interest in

overseas trading contact


• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)– Greek societies that were engaged in trade

became rich and by joining with other their neighbors, sometimes forcefully, formed large states

– The polis or city state emerged as the natural and desirable political entity

– Early examples of these city states include Athens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta on the mainland, and in the Eastern Aegean, Samos, Chios, Smyrna, Ephesus and Miletus


• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)– The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocratic

families; families that are considered noble or of higher status

– The archaic period was dominated politically by the leading aristocratic families in each city state acting in concert or squabbling amongst themselves for supremacy

– At times individual aristocrats were able to take advantage of popular dissatisfaction to seize authoritarian power

– Such rulers were called tyrants


• Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)– Such tyrants stimulated the development of

the arts through their patronage – The archaic period marked the beginnings of

Greek monumental stone sculpture and architecture

– Around 546 BC, the rising Persian Empire conquered some Greek city states

– The rising threat of the Persian Empire marked the end of the Greek archaic period and of classical Greek culture


• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)– The Classical period of ancient Greek history

occurred between 500 BC, and 323 BC. – The period started with the Greek city states

coming into conflict with the rising Persian Empire

– The free Greek cities saw the threat that was developing from the Persian Empire and prepared for resistance

– A seaborne expedition by the Persians to Athens was defeated at Marathon in 490 BC


• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)– Under the Persian King Xerxes, Persia attempted a

retribution in 479 BC and was defeated by an alliance of the Greek states headed by Sparta

– The Greek alliance soon transformed into an Empire under the leadership of Athens

– Pericles, the ruler of Athens between 444 and 429 BC became a driving force for the development of temple architecture

– Pericles used the defense revenue from the alliance for temple building in Athens to thank the Gods


• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)– Athens reached its greatest political and cultural

heights during the classical period – The full development of the democratic system of

government occurred under Pericles – The Parthenon on the Acropolis at Athens was built – Philosophical schools such as those of Socrates and

Plato were founded – Between 431 and 404, Athens entered into a series of

wars with Sparta which left it in ruins– The fall of Athens gradually led to political chaos in

the whole of Greece – The 4th century saw the rise of Macedonia as a

power in the region


• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)– The Macedonian king, Philip rapidly extended

Macedonian power and wealth– In 338 BC, he defeated a coalition of the

major Greek Cities including Athens and Thebes, and created a federation of all Greeks with him as the leader

– He proposed a crusade against the Persians but was assassinated before undertaking it


• Classical period (500 - 323 BC)– His son Alexander undertook the crusade and

established himself as the ruler of the former Persian empire

– Alexander undertook a lot of military campaigns to extend the Greek empire and founded many new cities such as Alexandria in Egypt

– He died in 323 BC without a heir to inherit him – The Death of Alexander marked the end of

the classical period of Greece civilization


• Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)– The Hellenistic period of ancient Greek

civilization started with the death of Alexander in 323 BC

– When Alexander died, he did not have a heir to inherit him

– The Greek empire split into smaller states with Alexander’s generals as their rulers


• Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)– The period saw the transplanting of Greek art,

civic life and culture to newly conquered areas

– The period also saw a marked increase in interest in civic buildings

– The Hellenistic period ended in 147 BC, when the Roman Empire conquered Greece and incorporated the city states into it

Historical Background Social Characteristics & Beliefs

• Introduction– Greek civilization is the first major civilization in Europe – Greek civilization along with the Roman civilization are

said to be at the root of current western civilization – They two are referred to as “classical” cultures because

of their recognition as the root of western civilization– Greek and Roman architecture are also referred to as

classical architecture– Greek civilization started with the mingling of two Greek

cultures, the Dorian and the Ionian to create a single Hellenic culture

– The two developed a sedentary agricultural and commercial society that ultimately gave birth to the concept of the city state


• Societal Organization- The city state – The ancient Greeks lived in self governing city-states

called "polis." – The city-states were small, independent communities

which were male-dominated and bound together by race.

– The ancient Greek world was made up of hundreds of these independent city states

– The polis started as a defensible area to which farmers of an area could retreat in the event of an attack as in the Mycenaean citadels

– Over time, towns grew around these defensible areas.


• Societal Organization- The city state – Every polis was different from another, even though

there were similarities between them– They were all bounded by common language and

religious beliefs– They all made efforts to preserve their own unique

identity, and each city state believed that their state was better than all the other states

– The city states often fought with one another. – The city state of Athens on the Greek mainland was

among the most famous and powerful of the city states


• Societal Organization- The city state – It was a major center for learning and the arts. – When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by

a few wealthy men. – However, they gradually moved towards democracy. – Athens developed an early form of democracy – How did they make laws? Only men who were born in

Athens were allowed to vote. – They did this at public assemblies where upper class

citizens discussed and adopted laws that might benefit Athens.


• Social Organization And Responsibility– The scale of the polis was small. – The philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that the

polis should be of a small size, so that members know each other personally

– The ideal size of a city state was fixed at 5040 males by Plato

– Citizens in any polis were related by blood and so family ties were very strong.

– Membership of the polis was hereditary and could not be passed to persons outside the family


• Social Organization And Responsibility– The society of the polis had a social hierarchy with

citizens at the top, followed by people who are not citizens and finally slaves

– Public life was for male citizens while women were secluded in the house

– Greek citizens did not have rights but duties– All citizens were directly involved in politics, justice,

military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.

– It was not acceptable for Greek citizens to refuse to carryout their responsibilities


• Religious Belief– The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, believing in

many different gods and goddesses

– The God were regarded as all powerful but similar to human beings in their passions, desires and appetite

– All aspect of life was under the protection of the gods, and they controlled everything, from the waves in the ocean to the winner of a race.

– All the gods and goddesses had specific roles, controlling one or two major aspects of life

– Zeus was, for example, the supreme leader of the gods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and Poseidon was the god of the sea


• Religious Belief– The essential concept in religious practice was that of

contract, of obligation and the paying of obligation – Humans call on the gods for protection and make

offerings to the gods to secure this– Ancient Greeks believed that religion would make

their lives better while they were living.– They also believed that the gods would take care of

them when they died.– Religious belief was constantly changing and

developing as new cults were introduced from time to time


• Place of Worship– Temples were the focus of Greek religious worships– Temples were usually built in the cities of the Gods

called “Acropolis” – Temples were built in every town and city for one or

more god or goddess – The temples were considered as offerings to the gods– Each community was therefore under pressure to

make them beautiful as possible


• Place of Worship– The temples were also considered as the house of

the gods– They were not designed for functional use– They usually consist of a large open hall called

sanctuary where the statue of the god to whom it is dedicated is kept

– The temples were the places for routine festivals to the gods

– The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and then a parade to the temple where they made sacrifices and had a feast.

– Animals were usually sacrificed as a gift to the gods


• Architecture in service of religion– Architecture in Greece Started in the Service of

Religions– Temples were the abode of gods – The Greeks regarded beauty as an attribute of the

gods and the conscious pursuit of beauty as a religious exercise.

– The most important task for architects was how to make the temple beautiful

– The search for ways to express architectural beauty made the Greek civilization among the first to have established ideals of beauty


• Architecture in service of religion– The Greeks convinced themselves that the secrets of

beauty lie in proportions – Man was viewed by the Greeks as having the most

ideal proportions and is the measure of all things– Greek developed a system of building proportion that

reflected those of the human body– With time, they refined their system of building

proportion, and developed the classical Greek orders which we will soon explore


• Architecture in service of religion– The principal building material of the ancient

Greeks was stone– Clay and timber were also used– Timber was used mostly for roofing and its

scarcity coupled with limitations in its length imposed restrictions on the width of buildings

– Temples were the main building type and it was used as a decoration element by every city


• Architecture in service of religion– Greek society also made buildings other than temples– These evolved in response to changes in need with

time– The most common buildings are amphitheaters,

council halls, public fountains and theatres, gymnasia, schools and libraries, public baths and lavatories

– As these civic buildings emerge, treatment once reserved for temple was extended to them even though on a less grander scale than in the temples


• Architecture in service of religion– Greek construction was of a simple post and lintel or

trabeated construction – Their ground plans were always very simple, usually

rectangular– With a combination of simple ground plans and

trabeated construction, they were able to create amazing buildings

– Buildings were constructed by skilled craftsmen who were in demand and traveled from one state to the other for construction work

– Designs were done on the ground by measuring out the foundation


• Architecture in service of religion– Blocks of stone were ordered from the quarry– Blocks were given initial preparation on the building

site– Blocks were large and retained in position by their

own weight; it was not necessary to fix them together in any way

– Roofs were of wood beams and rafters cut to square shapes with tile roof

– Carvings and other decorative work were finished when the building is completed


• Other Activities and Achievements– Greek society contributed to the earliest development

of science and scientific inquiry

– Greeks attempted to explain the world through the laws of nature.

– Greeks found out that the earth was round and A Greek person is credited as being the first to measure the circumference of the Earth

– The Greeks also made significant contributions to the arts, particularly in sculpture and painting


• Other Activities and Achievements– They wrote many stories and plays that continue to be

performed today. – The ancient Greeks were huge sports fans and sports

was considered a part of religion – Every four years, the Greeks held the Olympic Games

in the stadium at Olympia. – The best athletes in Greece competed in different

events– Because the games were religious, anyone who was

caught cheating during the games was never allowed to compete again

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

• Lecture 18–Architecture of the Civilization

• Greek Orders

• Temple Architecture

• Civic Architecture

Architecture of the Civilization

The Orders Introduction

• Refer to the entire set of form that makes up the principal elevation of a temple.

• Composed of a base, an upright column or support with its capital, and the horizontal entablature.

• All the parts of an order are proportionally derived from the size of the base of the column.

• It determines all aspects of the elevation of a building including its shape and the arrangement and proportion of its parts


• Greeks are credited with originating the three orders of the classical language of architecture, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

• Columns were understood by the Greeks to be anthropomorphic or representative of the body of a human

• The base suggests the feet, the shaft the torso and the capital the head.


• Each order had its own conventions about the design of the entablature

• The entablature is divided into three sections; the cornices, the frieze and the architrave

• According the rules of classical architecture, the entablature should always be divisible into these three zones

The Orders Doric Order

• The Doric order was the earliest to be developed

• By the 6th century, a set of universal proportions for the Doric temple had been developed.

• The Doric order is made up of three elements; stylobate, Column and entablature

• The stylobate is a podium raised three steps on which the temple sits

• The Doric column is further divided into the shaft and a square capital

The Orders Doric Order

• It had a height of between 5 and 6 times its diameter.

• The shaft is tapered and made to bulge slightly to provide correction for optical illusion.

• The shaft is usually divided into 20 shallow flutes.

• The entablature is divided into an architrave, a frieze and the cornice.

• The Doric column represents the proportions of a man’s body, its strength and beauty.

Doric Order Entasis

• A characteristic of the Doric order is the use of entasis

• Entasis refers to the practice of optical correction in Greek Doric temples

• All buildings are arranged with a slight curve to correct for optical illusion when they are viewed

• This is done to counteract the concave appearance produced by straight edges in perspective

• The shaft of the column is built to be slightly convex in shape for optical correction

• Columns were also built with a slight tilt

Doric Order Entasis

• The drawing to the right explains entasis

• Diagram one on top shows how the ancient Greeks wanted the temple to appear

• If the temple is built without correction, then diagram two shows how it would actually appear

• To ensure that it appears correctly as desired in one, the Greeks introduced the distortions shown in diagram three

• The application of entasis is an expression of the desire for perfection by Greek architects

• The best example of the application of entasis is found in the Parthenon

The Orders Ionic Order

• The Ionic order evolved and took its name from Ionia in modern day Turkey

• The ionic column including the capital and base had a height of 9 to 10times its diameter

• It had 24 flutes, which is more than that of the Doric column, even though it is smaller in diameter.

• The flutes were rounded at the top and bottom.


• The Ionic order had a capital developed from a pair of volute about two-thirds the diameter of the column in height

• Ornaments are used to decorate the area between the capital and the volute

• The Ionic column has a base • One of the limitations of the Ionic

order is that it is designed to be seen from the front only


• At the corner of rectangular buildings, an angular volute had to be used.

• Entasis was not applied to the ionic column

• The Ionic column is said to represent the shape of a women with its delicacy and feminine slenderness.

The Orders Corinthian Order

• The Corinthian order takes its name from the city of Corinth in Greece

• It however appeared to have been developed in Athens in the 5th century BC

• This order is similar in its proportions to the Ionic order but has a different capital

• The core of the capital is shaped like an inverted bel.

• The bell-like capital is decorated with rows of carved acanthus leaves

The Orders Corinthian Order

• The rich decorative effect of the Corinthian capital made it attractive.

• Because of its symmetry, the Corinthian capital unlike the ionic capital is designed to be seen from all directions

• The Corinthian column, the most beautifully ornate of the three orders represents the figure of a maiden

• This order was not extensively used during the Greek period

• It became popular during the ancient Roman period

The Orders Column Construction

• Do you wonder how the columns of the Greek orders were constructed?

• Each column was made up of several drums of marble

• They were held together by a stone peg in the center

• The stones were assembled and put together in their rough form

The Orders Column Construction

• The capital was also carved out

• After they were put together, the grooves called flutes were cut up and down the shaft of the column and all around it

• This gave the column its slim and elegant look

Temple Architecture Introduction

• The most important Greek building was the temple

• The temple had the finest building materials and the richest decoration.

• It was also the most complex of architectural form.

• It was designed not to hold worshippers, but as symbolic dwelling of the gods

• The temple is usually rectangular in plan

• It is lifted on a podium, and in plan has colonnades on all its external sides

Temple Architecture; Introduction• The number of columns is always

even to allow the location of the entrance in the center; temples with odd number of columns are uncommon

• Temples with 2 columns in front are diastyle, 4-tetrastyle, 6-hexastyle, 8-octastyle and 10-decastyle

• Greek temples usually have twice the number of columns in front plus one by the side; A hexastyle temple =six columns in front & thirteen on side

Temple Architecture; Introduction• Colonnades define a portico around the temple • The temple building is made up of four walls

enclosing a rectangular space called the naos or sanctuary

• This was the house of the god to whom the temple is dedicated

• The interior rectangular space of the naos is framed by a pair of colonnades on the long side creating a central processional space

• At the head of the processional space is the statue of the god to whom the temple is dedicated

• The temple interior was generally dark, with only the entrance as a source of light

Temple Architecture; Introduction• The temple always faced east so

that the rising sun would light the statues inside

• Temples were designed to be admired from the outside rather than used

• The Greek temple is believed to originate from the Mycenaean megaron

• From the megaron, it went through several stages of evolution as shown in the diagram

• By 500 BC, the final form of the Greek temple had emerged

Temple Architecture Doric Temple

• The Doric temple is based on the Doric order

• Both the Doric order and temple went through a simultaneous process of evolution

• The Basilica at Paestum 550 BC is an example of early Doric temple

• It was built during the archaic period of Greek civilization

Temple Architecture Doric Temple

• The columns on the front are 9, while on the sides they are 18

• The Doric columns appear heavy in comparison with later temples

• The columns have a bulge, pointing to the practice of optical correction or entasis by the time of its construction

• The capitals are also huge, heavy and very wide

Doric Temple Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

• The Temple of Aphaia at Aegina 490 BC is a later temple than the Basilica at Paestum

• Temple of Aphaia is much less heavy than Paestum

• The entablature is less thick

• The columns are slimmer with less entasis or bulge

• The capitals are also smaller

Doric Temple Temple of Aphaia at Aegina

• This temple is hexastyle but has only 12 flanking columns- early temple

• The interior columns are divided into a row of two columns separated by an architrave

• This allowed the designers to avoid using columns with a large diameter

• The temple has triangular pediment on n the Eastern and Western sides decorated with stories from Greek myths

Doric Temples Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum• The Temple of Hera Argiva

(or Neptune) at Paestum 460 BC was built later than the Temple of Aphaia

• It is one of the best preserved of all Greek temples

• It is more mature in its proportions than all the others examined

• The columns are 8.8 meters high and about 4.3 times their lower diameter

Doric Temples Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum• The temple is hexastyle but

with 24 columns on its flank

• It also has a double row of columns in the interior, and divided into two separated by a stone architrave

• The most perfect of the Doric temples is the Parthenon; We will examine this temple later

Ionic Temples Introduction

• Ionic temples were built using the Ionic order

• The most famous of the Ionic temples is the temple of Artemis at Ephesus

• It was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient World

• It was commissioned by Alexander the Great and was believed to have been built and destroyed several times

• Unfortunately the temple has not survived to the present time

Ionic Temples Introduction

• There are also uncertainties about its arrangement in plan

• The temple stands on a platform 2.7 meters high

• It had 36 columns in its front and they had an additional relief sculpture at the base

• The best surviving Ionic temples is the Temple of Athena located at the Acropolis at Athens

Corinthian Temples Introduction

• The Corinthian order was not widely used during the Greek period

• Earliest known example is inside the 5th century Temple of Apollo at Bassae.

• The temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens was in the Corinthian order

• The column was constructed in 131 A.D. well after the Roman conquest of Greece

• The Corinthian order became very popular during the Roman period.

Civic Architecture Introduction

• During the Hellenistic period Greeks became very fascinated by civic buildings

• Treatments once reserved for temples and the gods, were gradually extended to civic and government buildings.

• The Agora or market place also became very important in Greek cities.

• The theater and council chamber are examples of civic buildings found in every Greek city

Civic Architecture Theaters – Theater Epidarus

• The Greeks invented the theater design that is still used in movies and auditoriums today

• Every important Greek city had a theater

• Their theater was built into a hilly landscape

• The theater had a bank of seats steps created from the landscape

Civic Architecture Theaters – Theater Epidarus

• The theater had a bank of seats steps created from the landscape

• It would usually commands a view to the landscape

• The image shown is of theater Epidaurus

• This was the largest theater in ancient Greece

• It is still in use today

Civic Architecture Council Chamber – Bouleterion, Miletus

• The Bouleterion is where the Boule or council of the city state met

• It was a covered chamber fitted with banks of seats like a theater

• The example shown is from the city of Miletus

• Similar buildings were found in every Greek or Hellenistic city

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

• Lecture 19• Greek City Planning and Design

• Greek Architecture in Athens

Greek City Planning and Design

Greek City Planning and Design Planning and Design Principles

• The ancient Greek civilization had established principles for planning and designing cities

• City form were of two types• Old cities such as Athens had irregular street

plans reflecting their gradual organic development

• New cities, especially colonial cities established during the Hellenistic period, had a grid-iron street plan

• Certain things were common among cities

Greek City Planning and Design Planning and Design Principles

• Towns had fixed boundaries and some were protected by fortifications

• Much of the town was devoted to public use• The Greek City was usually divided into three

parts; the acropolis, the agora and the town. • Site planning and design was centered on the

appreciation of buildings from the outside. • The location of buildings was therefore such that

it could command a good view to it.

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Acropolis

• The Acropolis was the city of temples • It is the location where all the major temples of a

city are located• It was built to glorify the gods• Greeks considered high places to be important &

sacred • The Acropolis were usually located on the highest

ground• Other public buildings such as gymnasia, stadia,

and theaters were generally regarded as part of religious rituals

• They are normally found attached on lower ground to the hills of the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Agora

• The Agora was the most important gathering place in a Greek city

• It started as an open area where the council of the city met to take decisions

• With time buildings were constructed to define and enclose the space

• It also transformed into a place for combined social, commercial and political activities

• It emerged as the heart of Greek intellectual life and discourse.

• It was usually located on a flat ground for ease of communication

• It was placed to be easily accessible from all directions • In many cities, it is also located close to the Acropolis

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Town

• The town was where the people lived• This was the domain of women, who did

not have any public role• Early Greek towns had an irregular street

pattern, resulting from its organic growth• Later Hellenistic towns such as Prienne

had a formal rectilinear pattern• The town was made up of only residential

houses

Greek City Planning and DesignThe Town

• Houses were usually constructed of mud bricks

• Houses were of the courtyard type, with rooms arranged around a courtyard

• Houses vary according to standing in the society

• Houses of poor people were very simple compared to the house of the rich, which had more rooms and better finishing

Greek Architecture in AthensArchitecture, Planning & Design

• Athens is a very good example of a typical ancient Greek city

• The city has the three components of acropolis, agora and town found in a Greek city

• The Acropolis and Agora in Athens also have some of the best examples of ancient Greek architecture

• We will examine the Acropolis and Agora in Athens to understand Greek architecture, planning and city design.

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Acropolis in Athens

• The acropolis in Athens was a religious precinct located on one of the hills of the city.

• The Earliest versions of the Buildings in the Acropolis existed until 480 BC

• In 480 BC, the Persians under Xerxes burnt Athens and the Acropolis to the ground

• Not long after that the Greeks defeated the Persians

Greek Architecture in AthensThe Acropolis in Athens

• The Acropolis in Athens was rebuilt in about 450 BC

• The rebuilding of the Acropolis was begun by Pericles, the wise statesman who ruled from 460 BC to 429 BC

• Pericles commissioned artist and architects to build a new city of temples to glorify the gods

• The acropolis combined Doric orders and ionic orders in a perfect composition in four buildings; the Propylea, the Parthenon, the Erechtheumn, and the temple of Nike.

Greek Architecture in Athens Acropolis Athens

• The best example of Greek emphasis on visualization in design and site planning is seen at the Acropolis at Athens

• All the buildings on the Acropolis are designed to be seen than use

• All the temples on the Acropolis are place at an angle that enables them to be seen on two sides

• If a building cannot see be from two sides, it is completely hidden

Greek Architecture in Athens Acropolis Athens

• From the entry at the Propylae, a visitor has a view of all the prominent buildings in the Acropolis

• Buildings are also position at a distance that ensures the appreciation of their details

• The central axis of view from the propylae is left free of building for a view into the country side

Greek Architecture in Athens Propylae

• The propylae is the entrance to the Acropolis

• It was built around 437 B.C by Mnesicles

• The image highlights what is currently left of the propylae

• To reach the acropolis, people had to enter through the center section of the propylae

• The two wings on either side were never finished

• The columns on the outside of the propylae were Doric

• The columns in the interior were however Ionic

Greek Architecture in Athens Propylae

• Explanation for this is found in the proportions of the Doric and Ionic columns

• If the Doric order were used in the interior, the height of the roof would make its diameter very large

• To overcome this difficult, the designers used the Ionic column which is much slender than the Doric column

• Inside the propylae was a library and picture gallery with a place for people to read and rest

• In times of peace, the gates of the propylae were usually left wide open

• When an enemy threatened, the wooden doors of the propylae were closed and there was no other access to the acropolis

Greek Architecture in Athens The Parthenon

• The Parthenon was the most prominent building on the Athenian Acropolis

• It was designed by Ictinus and Callicrates in 447 BC

• The Parthenon is the most perfect Doric temple ever built.

• It was lighter and more graceful than previous temples


• It also embodies the perfection of the Greek system of proportioning

• The proportions of the Parthenon are based on the proportions of a man, which is seven to one

• The ideal human body was seven heads tall


• The Parthenon is an octastyle temple with 8 columns in front and 17 columns by its side

• In the Parthenon we also find the best example of the application of entasis

• The Parthenon had two rooms in plan; the treasury, which is most often empty and the naos or inner sanctuary

• An ivory gold statue of Athena, 11 meters tall carved by Phidas once stood in the noas or inner sanctuary of the Parthenon


• The statue reached the wooden roof of the temple

• Parts of the inside and outside of the Parthenon were once painted

• The inside of the temple was often not used

• Processions and ceremonies were held outside

• The temple’s alter was placed on the Eastern side

• During the Christian period, the Parthenon was used as a church


• Later the Turks converted it into a Mosque

• In 1687, the Turks used it to store ammunition and when they were attacked by the Venetians, it exploded

• The images shows what remains of it

• In 1801 An English man gathered the broken pieces and shipped them to the British museum in England

Greek Architecture in Athens The Erectheum

• The erechtheum is located at the point of a mythical fight between Poseidon and Athena for the possession of Athens

• Athena is believed to have won the fight and so Athens was named after her

• The erechtheum was named after Erechtheus, the legendary king of Athens, whose mother was the goddess of the earth and whose father was the fire god


• He was brought up by Athena and is believed to have judged the fight between Poseidon and Athena

• The shape of the erechtheum is not a perfect rectangular and it does not have a colonnade surrounding it


• Two porches spring out from the core rectangle of the temple at different levels

• A small porch faces the Parthenon• This has columns in the shape of a

woman called caryatid • The caryatids are linked to a

historical story• The caryatids are a people who

lived in Asia minor• They were believed to have fought

with the Persians against the Greeks

• When the Greeks won, they destroyed the cities of the caryatids


• They killed all the men and brought back the women as slaves

• For revenge the Greeks copied the Caryatid slave women in stone and forced them to carry the roof the Erechtheum for all time

• The weight of the roof is carried from the top of the head of the caryatid through their leg

• A larger porch on the northern side has ionic columns

• The ionic columns have all the characteristics of the Ionic order

Greek Architecture in Athens Temple of Nike

• Just beside the propylae is the Temple of Athena Nike, meaning victorious Athena

• It was built around 420 BC and was designed by Callicrates during the Peloponnesian wars

• The Athenians worshipped Athena Nike in the hope of victory

Greek Architecture in Athens Temple of Nike

• This is an ionic temple• It had a pediment that

no longer exist• The temple has an

entrance of four ionic columns on two sides

• The temple looks the same from the front and back

Greek Architecture in Athens The Agora

• The Agora in Athens was a space used for social, commercial and political activities

• The Agora at Athens was located at the base of the hill of the Acropolis

• Civic and religious buildings were progressively erected around the perimeter of the Agora space

Greek Architecture in Athens The Agora

• Of all the buildings, the stoa was the most important

• Stoas were useful buildings in the context of the Agora

• They provided shelter and served for many other purposes

• They also served to embellish the boundary of the Agora

Greek Architecture in Athens Introduction

• The Agora at Athens contains other administrative buildings

• There was the bouleterion for the meeting of the council

• There was also a tholos, a circular building where the standing committee of the council when in office dined at state expense

• There were also two buildings for the meeting of the jury court.

Greek Architecture in Athens Introduction

• And a shrine where the remains of Alexander was buried

• The central area of the Agora was free of building

• This image shows a reconstruction of how social life may have taken place in the Agora

• People would be in the space of the Agora carrying out all sorts of activities with the Acropolis prominent in the background and the gods hopefully looking after them

End of Lecture

Outline of Lecture

• Lecture 20– Architectural Characteristics

• Buildings and other architectural elements• Building materials, construction and

technologies• Architectural Organizing principles

Architectural Characteristics

Buildings & Other Arch Elements

Buildings & Other Arch. Elements

Building Types• The major architectural element of the Greek civilization is

the order and their principal building type is the temple• Greek buildings also feature civic buildings such as theater,

council chamber, stoa, etc• Greeks invented the classical orders of architecture • Their invention of the orders was a result of the search for

rational methods of expressing beauty• The orders embody a system of proportion that determines

how the whole building looks• An order consist of a column shaft with its base and

capital, and an entablature• All its dimensions were derived from the diameter of the

column• The entablature is further divided into architrave, frieze and

cornice


Building Types• Three orders of architecture were invented by Greeks;

Doric, Ionic and Corinthian • Doric was the earliest and has a square capital and the

stoutest proportion, resembling the power of a man• Ionic was taller in its proportion, has a volute capital and

resembles the proportion of a maiden• Corinthian has the same characteristics with the Ionic

except that its capital is decorated with the Acanthus leaf• Temples were the principal building types of the Greeks• Temples were considered as house of the Gods and

efforts to beautify them pushed architectural development


Building Types• Temples were design to be seen and

appreciated rather than used• The evolution of the orders led to standard

temple forms based on them• Towards the later part of the Greek civilization,

there was also a focus on civic construction• The Greeks needed civic buildings to support

their democratic institutions and also satisfy their social and recreational needs

• Council chambers, theaters, Stoas, were among the civic buildings that became popular with the city states

Materials, Const. & Tech.

Materials, Construction & Tech. Materials

• Examination of Greek architecture points to three common materials of construction

• These are Stone, timber and clay• Stone was the most common construction material for

buildings• Greece had an abundant supply of stone, particularly

marble• Stone was used for all types of temple and civic

construction• It was used for all type of building elements• The characteristic grey color of the stone of the area is

also what gives most ancient Greek buildings their characteristics color

Materials, Construction & Tech. Materials

• Timber was used mainly for roofing• It was a very scarce commodity and it also had

limited length• This limited its use• The limitation in length meant that the width of

buildings was restricted and only very important buildings such as the Parthenon could go beyond a certain width

• We did not examine Houses but clay was used mostly in housing construction

• Clay was made into sun dried blocks for use in construction

Materials, Construction & Tech. Construction and Technology

• The principal Building Material of ancient Greece was stone

• The principal construction system was trabeated or column and beam construction

• Combined, the two were used for temples and civic buildings

• Construction technology involves ordering stones in semi-prepared state from quarries,

• On site, they were roughly shaped and placed in position on the building

• Elements placed in position would be been sized to the right proportion


• Building blocks were not bonded, but are rather held in position by their weight

• Then the rough stones were finished to achieve the final form and treatment of the building

• Finishing enables the builders to create buildings of a particular order

• It is in finishing that the Greeks showed their mastery of construction

• Finishing work involved creating the fluting, base and capital decoration on columns

• The Frieze and cornices of buildings were also decorated with appropriate relief carving


• Pediments were also finished with relief carvings, which in temples depict stories of the gods

• Full statues of gods were also carved and placed on strategic places on the outside of the temple and also as the major element in the interior

• The Greeks essentially formalized architectural sculpture and decoration

• They were able to effectively translate their ideas of beauty into tangible buildings

• Ancient Greeks did not make significant contributions in the aspect of building technologies

Principles of Arch. Organization

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles

• It is possible to understand forces and principles shaping Greek architecture by examining the following issues;– The role of religion in architectural

development– Ideas about architectural aesthetics– Principles of architectural organization– Principles of city planning and urban design

Principles of Arch. Organization The Role of Religion in Arch. Dev.

• Religion played a significant role in the development of Greek architecture

• Architecture started in the service of religion• The important question for Greek architects was

the right form of the temple• Temples were the house of the Gods• The duty of the architect was to make them

beautiful• The search for how to make the temple beautiful

resulted in the establishment of Greek ideals of beauty

• Greek ideals of beauty was rooted in mathematical proportions

Principles of Arch. Organization Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics

• The Greeks believed that mathematical proportion is at the root of beauty

• They also believed that the human body has the best of proportions

• Greeks also valued harmony, balance and symmetry in design

• Greeks developed principles based on their believes about aesthetics

• These principles were refined over time as they are applied in building

• With time they developed into a standard that is widely applied

Principles of Arch. Organization Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics

• Builders exerted great effort in ensuring that buildings were created to meet the aesthetic ideals of the society

• The Greeks in essence became the first society to have well established ideas about architectural aesthetics with principles for their translation into physical design

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of Organization

• The Greek ideals of mathematical proportion was applied in architecture through the use of the orders

• The orders provide a means to codify mathematical proportioning, by linking all the elements of the building with the diameter of the column

• The orders were also viewed as anthropomorphic, representing the human body

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of Organization

• The Doric represents a man and the Ionic and Corinthian represent a woman

• The use of the orders also provided a means for the Greeks to design buildings to meet their ideals of harmony, balance and symmetry

• The use of optical correction, entasis, is a pointer to the desire of the Greeks to achieve their ideals of beauty in architecture

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of City Planning & Design

• Ancient Greeks not only develop ideals of architectural aesthetics, but they also developed principles for the design and planning of cities as location for architecture

• The ancient Greek city states developed a standard plan of the city

• The city consisted of three defined elements; the town, acropolis and Agora

• Principles were developed for organizing each element of the city based on activities and its symbolism

• The town was a place to retire for the day• It was composed of simple courtyard houses separated

by streets• It could either be organic or grid-iron

Principles of Arch. Organization Principles of City Planning & Design

• The Acropolis was the city of the gods• This is where buildings reflecting the highest ideals of

beauty were placed to be seen rather than used• The principle of its design is that of isolated objects

arranged in open space• The objects are arranged to be seen in three-dimension• The Agora was a mundane place for social, commercial

and political activities• The principle of its design centers on creating boundaries

to contain space for activities• In practice, stoas and other civic buildings are used to

loosely define the space• These are usually treated with continuous colonnades or

porticoes along the side of the court with occasional penetrations by footpaths

End of Module 5

ARC 110 History of Architecture I Module 6 Ancient Greek Architecture.

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Transcript of ARC 110 History of Architecture I Module 6 Ancient Greek Architecture.