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& Sicily, where the Doric order was commonly used & parts of Asia minor (Turkey), where
the Ionic order was usually employed.
About 1500 years before the Greek civilization, a civilization flourished on the island of
Crete Known as the Minoan (2700 1600 BC) after the legendary king Minos & later the
Mycenaean (1600 1100 BC) after their capital city of Mycenae.
The palace at Knossos was built gradually from 1700 to 1400 BC. The palace is laid
around a central court & entered from the north through a portico. On the left side of the
court is the throne room & other areas used by the King. Beyond it is the long gallery that
gives access to many linear rooms. To the right side of the court is located the Queens
megaron. Totally the palace had 1300 rooms & a theatre covering an area of 6 acres.
GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ARCHITECTURAL CHARECTER
Greeks by their innate artistic sense profoundly influenced the development of
European art & hence Greece is regarded as the source of literary & artistic inspiration.
1. Early period (2700 700 BC) : Minoan & Mycenaean architecture is rough & massive in
character with the walls exhibiting 3 kinds of masonry Cyclopean masonry consists of
large blocks of stone piled one on another with small pieces of interstices, bound by
clay mortar Ex. Knossos. Rectangular masonry comprising of rectangular stone blocks
in regular courses, with the joints not always vertical. Ex. Mycenae. Polygonal masonry
with many sided blocks accurately fitted together. Ex. Acropolis wall at Athens.
2. Classical period (700 BC 346 BC) : Greek architecture is of the columnar & trabeated
style where the construction system is self evident. Unity of effect in greek temples was
achieved by a single colonnade surrounding the naos. Columns became more graceful
& moldings were refined. Columns were erected by inserting metal dowels at the centre
of circular blocks of stone & metal cramps were inserted in masonry walls. It was
mainly temples that were built during this period. Many refinements to correct optical
illusions were practiced. They developed the Doric , Ionic & Corinthian orders. Color &
gilding was freely applied to details & sculptures. Ex. Parthenon, the Propylae etc.
3. Hellenistic period (346 BC 146 AD) : During this time the secular architecture
developed with the building of Theatres, Agoras, Stadia etc. & the interaction with other
cultures made possible by Alexanders conquest affected greek art considerably. The
Doric order was commonly employed during the Hellenic period & later on the Ionic
order evolved. However, during the Hellenistic period the Corinthian order was used
frequently & the taller version of the Ionic order. Ex. Erechtheion, theatre Epidauros &
Tower of Winds.
Cornice
Frieze
Shaft
Column
The Doric order evolved from the hut that was built with circular logs for posts with square
planks on top to fix them to the purlins & rafters with rectangular sections that formed the
framework for the roof. It had a shaft & capital that comprised of the column which
supported the Entablature comprising of the Architrave , Frieze & cornice. The triangular
part at the top of the composition is known as the pediment.
The Doric column stands without a base, directly on the stylobate (Plinth), which usually
comprises of 3 steps. The radius at the base of the column is taken as the basic module
for proportioning. The ht. of the column inclusive of the capital is about 4 to 6.5 times
the base diameter. The circular shaft which reduces at the top to about - 2/3 of the
base diameter, is divided into 20 shallow flutings divided by sharp arrises. The shaft
rises up to the hypotrechelion formed of 3 grooves, above which is the continuation of
the shaft called the trachelion or the neck. Above this is the Doric capital comprising of
the square abacus, the curved echinus & the annulets (3 to 5 fillets) that terminate the
flutings of the column.
DORIC ORDER
Cornice (Cymatium & corona)
Metope
Triglyph - one above the center of
each column & one above each inter
columniation
Architrave (beam)
Annulets
Abacus
Echinus
Hypotrechelion
Arrises
Flutings
Doric entablature is 1/4th the height of the
entire order & consists of the Architrave, the
Frieze & the cornice. Triglyphs with 3 upright
channels alternating with squarish Metopes
with relief sculpture comprise of the frieze.
Mutules with guttae
Tenia (horizontal molding)
Regulae (flat strip)
Guttae (drops)
PARTHENON
APOLLO, DELOS
IONIC ORDER
Volute capital
cushion
Egg & dart molding
24 to 40 flutes
Volutes
Bead molding
Upper Torus
Scotia
Lower Torus
Ionic columns including the capital & base have a height of about 9 times the base
diameter. The molded base consists of an upper & lower torus divided by a scotia. The
distinctive Volute or scroll capital must be derived from nature. The capital consists of a
pair of volutes or spirals, about 2/3 the base dia in height, on the front & back of the
column connected at the sides by the cushion.
IONIC ORDER
Dentils
Cornice
Architrave
Abacus
Spirals
Stalks
Acanthus leaves
CORINTHIAN ORDER
Most Greek temples were built on a raised plateau which was considered as the sacred
temenos. This picture shows the view of the Acropolis at Athens, with the most famous
temple of Parthenon at the top. Other important structures include the Erechtheion, the
Propylae, the temple of Nike etc. All the structures are of marble & are world famous
for their proportions, geometry, fine sculptures & optical refinements to correct illusions
This plan of the Acropolis shows the entrance structure called the Propylae on the west,
the main Parthenon temple in the middle & the Erechtheion in the north side. Other
structures include the theatres, the temple of Victory (Nike) and the Stoa.
The Parthenon was built from 454 to 438 BC, during the reign of King Pericles & is
dedicated to the Goddess Athena Parthenos or the Virgin Athena. Ictinus & Callicrates
were the architects, while Phideas was the master sculptor. This temple is considered
as a fine example of the Doric style & is renowned for its fine carvings known as the
panathenaic frieze, the enormous statue of Athena in gold & ivory & the practice of
architectural refinements to correct optical illusions.
The temple is Peripteral Octastyle in plan with 17 columns in its flanks, standing on a
stylobate of 3 steps. At the plinth, it measures 101- 4 x 228- 2 with a ratio 0f 4:9.
The main doorway on the east led to the Naos, about 63 x 100, having 2 rows of 10
Doric columns supporting passageways on three sides with a 2 floor height space in the
middle. On the back side was the Parthenon, used as a treasury & entered through a
door in the Opisthodomos, with 4 ionic columns supporting the roof. Both chambers
were enclosed by a 4 thick wall. The Pronaos & Opisthodomos each measuring 60 x
12, had 6 Doric columns & were fitted with metal grilles to serve as ante chambers.
In the Naos stood the statue of Athena & the entire temple was surrounded by an
ambulatory 9wide in the sides and 11 wide in the front & rear.
The prominent external features are the peristyle fluted columns which are 32 in the
sides & 16 in the front & rear. They rise to about 34- 3 ht & are 5.5 times the base
diameter. Most of the columns have 6- 2 base diameter and taper to 4- 10 at the top.
The axis of all the columns are slightly tilted inwards towards the top to prevent the
optical illusion of falling outward. They also exhibit a concave profile known as the
Entasis, which is another refinement to correct the illusion of looking thin in the middle.
The entablature is 11 high and has the usual divisions of the Architrave, Frieze &
Cornice. The architrave was ornamented with bronze shields & inscriptions of Alexander
the great. The frieze comprises of the usual tryglyphs & metopes, which about 4 5
square carried fine relief sculpture of the achievements of the athenians.
The pediments which have an inclination of 13.5 degrees are terminated at the roof &
each end by an ornamentation known as the Acroterion. The tympana of the pediment
was filled with finest sculpture of Phideas.
The peristyle was enriched with marble beams which were painted. The celebrated
Panathenaic frieze was carved as a horizontal band on the exterior of the naos wall. It is
3- 4 high & is sculpted in such a way as to be seen in the light reflected by the white
marble pavement below. It represents the procession taken once in 4 years to this
temple. Most of this frieze is in the London museum & the picture above is a painting.
The sculptured metopes on the eastern facade represent the contest between the gods
& giants, those on the west represent the fight between the Greeks & Amazons etc. All
the sculptures were painted with brilliant colors. The Parthenon is considered to be a
miracle of architecture with gleaming marble, marvelous sculpture & glowing color. It
remains as Greece's greatest historic monument & her most precious heritage.
THE ERECHTHEION
The Erechtheion was constructed from 420 393 BC by Mnesicles, who was the
architect & contains 3 shrines within its walls. It has no side colonnades & hence is
called Apteral in style. The temple is considered to be very sacred as it contains the
olive wood statue of Athena, the salt well of Poseidon & the tomb of Erechtheus.
View from NW
Plan
Caryatid porch
WEST ELEVATION
The Erechtheion is irregular in plan owing to the sloping site & contains the shrine of
Athena in the eastern portion with the main entrance through the Ionic hexastyle
portico, seen in the earlier picture. Behind this is the shrine of Erechtheion & Poseidon,
which is accessed from the northern Ionic tetrastyle portico. The western naos was
added later & entered through the passage connecting the northern portico & the
southern Caryatid porch. The northern portico is 10 lower than the eastern portico.
North portico
Caryatid porch
Looking east
The northern portico is a very ornate example of the Ionic order. The Ionic order of the
eastern portico is not so ornamental. The main building is crowned with an entablature
of 5 ht. having the usual divisions of the architrave, frieze & cornice. The frieze of all
the porticoes was done in black marble to which the relief sculptures in white marble
were attached with metal cramps. The sky line was emphasized by the acroterion
ornament of the pediments & the antifixae to the marble roofing slabs. The doorways of
the temple are remarkable for their brackets, architrave & cornice.
The Erechtheion is a fine example of asymmetrical architectural composition having
various levels, which gives it different views from all around.
Pinacotheca
6 Ionic columns
THE PROPYLAE
The Propylae is an entrance portal, constructed at the acropolis by Mnesicles, during the
reign of Pericles. The front & rear hexastyle porticoes are at different levels & give access
to a covered hall with a wide central passage. This passage is flanked by 3 pairs of Ionic
columns, that leads to a wall with 5 doorways of different heights. The projecting wings
have 3 Doric columns shorter than the central ones. The northern wing provided with
windows was used as a pinacotheca or picture gallery. The temple of Nike is on the south.
The shaft of the column had a convex profile known as the entasis to
correct the appearance of looking thicker in the middle.
diazoma
Theater Epidauros
rows of seats
stage
Plan, View & Aerial view of Epidauros
Orchestral pit
The theater, best preserved of all, has a diameter of 373 & is scooped out of a hillside. It has a
circular orchestral platform 66 in diameter, with 2 banks of seats separated by a diazoma or
cross aisle. 32 rows of seats form the lower bank & 20 rows are there in the upper bank. There are
24 flights of step which act as aisles, giving access to all parts of the gallery. The seating is of
marble slabs, the orchestral pit is paved with a harder stone & there is an colonnaded stage. The
theater is marveled for its exceptional acoustics, since the 15000 spectators can perfectly hear the
unun-amplified speech. Researchers have now established (2007) that it is due to the marble gallery
absorbing the low frequency sound, such as the murmur of the crowd & the hard stone pavement
reflecting the high frequency sound from the stage and the orchestral platform.
Views of Stoa
Agora model
The Agora was an open air meeting place, the Greek equivalent of the town square. It
was enclosed by Stoa or colonnades giving access to public buildings all around such as
temples, basilica, stadia etc. the Stoa was a colonnaded corridor that connected public
buildings & also gave shelter to pilgrims.