HISTORY ARCHITECTURE 1

AHISTOR1
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GREEK ARCHITECTURE
INFLUENCES
• Geographical
• Geological
• Climatic
• Historical
• Religion
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Geographical Influence
• Their mainland and islands are rocky, mountainous with few substantial forests.
• Almost completely surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea
• Greece has more than 1400 islands.
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Geological Influence
• The most freely available building
material stone
• Limestone was readily available and
easily worked
• There is an abundance of high-quality
white marble both on the mainland
and islands, particularly Paros and
Naxos
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Climatic Influence
Typical of the Mediterranean
climate: mild and rainy winters,
relatively warm and dry summers
and, generally, extended periods
of sunshine throughout most of
the year.
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HISTORY
Greek Timeline
• Greek civilization is the first major
civilization in Europe
• The period of ancient Greek history can
be divided into four as follows:
-1100 BC - 750 BC Greek Dark Ages
-750 BC – 500 BC Archaic Period
-5000 BC – 323 BC Classical Period
-323 BC – 147 BC Hellenistic Period
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HISTORY
Archaic Period
• The revival of Greece from the dark ages started during
the eight century BC
• The Greeks developed a new political form called city
states (POLIS) – ruled as independent nations.
• The archaic period saw the renewal interest in overseas
trading contact.
• The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocratic
families; families that are considered noble or of higher
status.
• Such tyrants stimulated the development of the arts
through their patronage
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HISTORY
Classical Period
(500-323 BC)
• It is the period of democracy
• Every art manifestation reached its zenith
• It is the period of political, economic and cultural
expansion of the polis
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HISTORY
Hellenistic Period
(323 BC – 147 BC)
- The period saw the translating 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.
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RELIGION
Ancient Greek theology was polytheistic,
based on the assumption that there were
many gods and goddesses.
• Zeus - King of Gods, Sky-God
• Poseidon - God of Sea and
Earthquake
• Hades – God of Death, underworld
• Helios – God of Sun
• Aphrodite – God of Love, Beauty,
Pleasure

The Greeks believed in an underworld

where the spirits of the dead went after
death
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BUILDING SYSTEM
• Dominant lines are horizontal and vertical
• The column is the essential element
• Walls are made of regular ashlars
• Buildings were polychrome
• Building materials were limestone and white marble
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BUILDING SYSTEM
• Use of "post and lintel techniques"
involving vertical uprights (columns
or post) supporting horizontal beams
(lintels) This method known as
trabeated construction dates back to
earliest times when temples were
made from timber and clay and was
later applied to stone posts and
horizontal stone beams.

• The stones columns themselves

usually consisted of a series of solid
stone "drums" set one upon the other
without a mortar but sometimes joined
inside with bronze pegs.
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Decorations
Classical Orders
Doric Order
Ionic Order
Corinthian Order
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Decorations
Doric Order
- The Greek Doric columns was so simple
columns. They was fluted on smooth
surfaced columns and had no base
dropping straight into the stylobate or
platform on which the temple or other
building stood.
- The capital was a simple circular form with
some moldings, under a square cushion
that is very wide in early versions, but later
more retained.
*Please read Francis D.K Ching Book (Doric Order p180)
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Decorations
Doric Order
- A characteristic of the Doric
order is the use of entasis
- Entasis – refers to the practice
of optical correction in Greek
Doric temples
- The best example of the
application on entasis is found
in the Parthenon
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Decorations

Ionic Order
- The Ionic order originated in the mid 6th
century BC in Ionia the southwestern
coastland and islands of Asia minor settled
by Ionians Greeks, where an Ionian dialect
was spoken.
- The Ionic columns normally stand on a
base which separates the shaft of the
column from the stylobate or platform. The
cap is usually enriched with the egg and
dart.
*Please read Francis D.K Ching Book (Ionic Order p181)
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Decorations
Ionic Order
- The Ionic column is said to represent the
shape of a women with its delicacy and
feminine slenderness
- The ionic column including the capital and
base had a height of 9 to 10 times its
diameter
- It had 24 flutes
- The Ionic order had a capital developed
from a pair of volute about two-thirds the
diameter of the column height
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Decorations
Corinthian Order
- The Corinthian order stated to be the most
ornate of the orders, characterized by
slender fluted columns and elaborate
capitals decorated with acanthus leaves
and scrolls.

*Please read Francis D.K Ching Book (Ionic Order p181)

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Decorations
Classical Orders
Doric Order
Ionic Order
Corinthian Order
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ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS
• The Acropolis was the city of
temples
• It is the location where all the
major temples of the city are
located.
• It was built to glorify gods.
• The acropolis were usually
located on the highest ground.
• Greek considered the high
place to be important and
sacred.
• Other public buildings such as
gymnasia, stadia and theaters
were usually regarded as part
of religious rituals.
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MAP OF ACROPOLIS OF ATHENS

1.Parthenon
2.Old Temple of Athena
3.Erechtheum
4.Statue of Athena Promachos
5.Propylaea
6.Temple of Athena Nike
7.Eleusinion
8.Sanctuary of Artemis Brauronia or Brauroneion
9.Chalkotheke
10.Pandroseion
11.Arrephorion
12.Altar of Athena
13.Sanctuary of Zeus Polieus
14.Sanctuary of Pandion
15.Odeon of Herodes Atticus
16.Stoa of Eumenes
17.Sanctuary of Asclepius or Asclepieion
18.Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus
19.Odeon of Pericles
20.Temenos of Dionysus Eleuthereus
21.Aglaureion
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ERECHTHEION
• The Erechtheion, also known as the
Erechtheum, is an ancient Greek temple
dedicated to the goddess Athena and the god
Poseidon-Erechtheus. (Athena was the ancient
Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare;
Poseidon was the ancient Greek god of the
sea.)
• The sculptor and mason of the structure was
Phidias
• The entire temple is on slope, so the west and
north sides are about 3m (9ft) lower than the
south and east sides. It was built entirely of
marble from Mount Pentelicus or Pentelikon.
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TEMPLE OF HERA II
(Temple of Poseidon)
470-460 BC
Classical Greek, Doric
Paestum, Italy
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THEATER OF EPIDAURUS
4TH century BC
Classical Greek (modern reconstruction)
Epidaurus, Greece
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STOA OF ATTALUS II
2nd century BC
Classical Greek (modern reconstruction)
Athens, Greece
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PROPYLAEA
437 BC
Classical Greek – Doric
Athens, Greece
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TEMPLE OF ATHENA NIKE

427 BC
Classical Greek – Ionic
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PARTHENON
ABOUT
• It is the temple of Athena
• It was built in 5th century BC
• It is the symbol of democracy of Athens
• It was designed by Ictinus and Callicrates
• Phidias was the sculptor of Athena Pallada statue
• It was carved out of pentelic marble.
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PLAN OF PARTHENON
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Parts of Greek Doric Temple

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TEMPLES
TEMPLE TYPOLOGY
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TEMPLES
TEMPLE TYPOLOGY
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PROPYLEA STOA
A monumental entrance to a A long narrow hall with an open
temenos or holy area colonnade that was used as
exhibition room
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AGORA PALAESTRA OR GYMNASIUM

Commercial center of the city Training areas for combat sports
such as wrestling and boxing
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THEATRE ODEON
Was used for meeting and Small theater
dramatic performances
REFERENCE:
https://www.slideshare.net/DivyaBalani7/greekarchitecture12100675902259958pptx
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grarc/hd_grarc.htm#:~:text=The%20two%20principal%20orders%20in,slab%20kno
wn%20as%20the%20echinus.
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/340896030/GREEK-ARCHITECTURE-FINAL-ppt
https://www.slideserve.com/tim/greek-architecture
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/resource-library-ancient-greece/