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Greek architecture Greek architecture Greek architecture

GREEK ORDERS .-

In the Archaic period (seventh century to V century BC) starts the grandeur of Greek art; ancient temples and shrines of adobe and wood result in temples of stone and construction is subject to artistic laws which derive the so-called orders, ie different artistic decisions to the same problem: hold the sleeve by columns.
The word "order" used to designate these architectural styles reflects the importance which the Greeks gave the number, ie the proportion, each temple is due to a system of measures or canon. The three architectural orders are: Doric, Ionian and Corinthian, which contributed nobility, grace and luxury respectively.

Outline of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian respectively. The first two coexisted and reached its peak in the classical age The third is typical of the Hellenistic period. -

The Doric .-

found in the seventh century Doric temples, as Heraion or Temple of Hera, but not is not until the following century when the style develops fully. This is the order
more sober and simple and was used in mainland Greece where transition to the Greek colonies of Italy. Examples of this order are the temple of Apollo at Corinth (540 BC), the plague in the south of Italy dedicated to Hera and Poseidon (sixth century BC) and the Acropolis of Athens the Parthenon (447 BC) built by Ictinus and Kalícrates and decorated by Phidias.


The Doric column has no base but is placed directly on the stylobate and is fluted, is decorated with vertical edges, the number of 16 to 20. The column diameter decreases from bottom to top, but with a slight bend in the middle, which is called the rapture, an architectural resource that corrects optical defects distorting, because if we saw from afar the column, it seems narrower in its central part, but the bulge with the rapture eliminates this visual impression.
The Doric capitals, of great simplicity, is formed by a necking, a circular piece curved edge that supports the horse - like a dish, which in turn supports a square piece of low-rise called abacus. The simple trim Doric capital expressed with nobility and strength of support architectural function.
In the Doric entablature, the architrave is smooth and he is a frieze and metopes triglyphs divided into alternating throughout the building. Triglyphs consist of three vertical stripes which function to separate the metopes, squares of stone or marble, intricately decorated with polychrome. This alternativity between triglyphs and metopes will give rhythm to the building. On the cornice
supports the triangular pediment, covered with marble and adorned also with polychrome reliefs.

Temple of Hera or the Basilica. (approx. 540 BC) Built in Paestum, south of Naples in the so-called Magna Grecia. Doric temple. The facade is characterized by an uneven number (9) of its columns. He has lost the pediment and architrave remains only a series of blocks that were previously topped with metopes and triglyphs.

.- The Parthenon (447 to 432 BC) (73 x 34 meters). The most perfect of Greek temples was dedicated to the goddess Athena and represents the right balance between strength and nobility of the Doric temples, and fragile grace of the Ionians. Ictinus made by architects and Phidias supervised Calícrates and who also made the reliefs of the pediment, the metopes and the frieze inside the cella. Also made in gold and ivory sculpture is 12 meters high of Pallas Athena, which was kept inside.

the Ionian .-

The Ionic was born in Asia Minor and the oldest monuments discovered so n after the Dorians, though both styles co-existed in Greece and are subsequently inherited by the Romans.
This style was elegant and refined so that was associated with feminine grace and delicacy, which is why it used to be dedicated to the goddesses. It was the favorite in the Hellenistic period to be more decorative than the Doric and appropriate to the aesthetic of the moment.
In the example we Ionic temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the treasure of the Sifnis at Delphi. On the Acropolis of Athens built the temple of Athena Nike (427 BC) and the Erechtheion, a temple triple whose central columns are replaced by statues of women, very personal appeal of this order and receive the name of Caryatids.

Ionic columns are more slender the Doric and unlike them, do not rise directly over the stylobate, but have a base, which helps to give greater height. The trunk is also striated but with a larger number of grooves, 24 in this case. Are also decreasing in thickness from bottom to top.
The capital is made up of two scrolls or spirals placed on a pad to overflowing on both sides.
The architrave is not smooth but consists of three horizontal stripes, each more outgoing than before. The frieze is not divided into triglyphs and metopes but is a continuous strip decorated with polychrome reliefs.

Temple Athena Nike, or Victorious Athena Kalicrates .- .- the edge of the abyss, like the prow of a ship, the small temple of Nike held a key point in the layout of the Acropolis. Note the columns with volutes and continuous frieze decoration characteristic of Ionic .-

Temple of Athena in Priene, Ionia, Asia Minor (now Turkey) .- Work of Pythian, author of Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Only five remain standing Ionic columns, with their scrolls, which allow an imperfect appreciation of the construction

The Erechtheion .- Mnesicles (approx. 421 to 406 BC) Ionic Order. Temple complex dedicated to the Greek Acropolis multiple services. Dedicated to the gods Athena and Poseidon Erechtheus and hero. Has been used as a church for Christians and the Ottoman harem has four very different fronts, north lobby showing an elegant Ionic columns on the south the famous porch of the Maidens, famous women shaped columns on the east chapel Athena and the west one species of windows.


Pergamon Altar of Zeus at .- Ionic Order. (197-159 BC) - Work of the Hellenic era .- The temple was built during the reign of Eumenes II in the city of Pergamum. In 1886 he was transported, moved and rebuilt in the city of Berlin, thanks to a financial settlement with the Turkish government, which received 20,000 marks in return. The building rises broadly on a podium decorated with monumental reliefs of 2.30 x 113 meters, which deal with the Gigantomachy and the struggle of the Olympian gods against the giants. At the end of World War II, the altar was moved to Moscow, as spoils of war, where he remained until 1959. He is currently in Berlin at the Pergamon Museum.

THE CORINTHIAN .-

This style, much more ornate than the previous ones or refilled appears from the V century BC . and will differ only in the capital of the Ionian.
In fact, the Corinthian capital is inverted bell-shaped and is decorated with acanthus leaves, alternating with long, short of which hatch into little spirals that will serve to support the abacus.

be attributed to the sculptor Kalimac the invention of the Corinthian capital. Within this style stands the temple of Zeus in Athens (174 BC) and Lisícrates lantern in Athens, a memorial commissioned by the poet Lisícrates to present the trophy won in the contest theater.







Temple of Zeus in Athens .- Also known as Olimpeion. It was built in V century BC by the tyrant Pisistratus, after his death was abandoned. During the Macedonian domination, the Roman architect Cossutius continued with its construction. In times of Roman rule, the general Sulla took two of his columns to adorn the Roman Temple of Jupiter Capitoline. Finally the emperor Hadrian, a great admirer of Greek culture ordered its completion in the second century. It is the largest Greek temple, was 96 x 40 meters and 104 columns Corinthian, each 17 meters high, which are only 15 feet.

Lísicrates .- The lantern ( 334 BC) (6 x 2.8 meters) .- M Hellenistic Period onumento memorial erected in Athens at the time of Alexander the Great as a tribute to the winner of a contest theater. On a square base architecture is a monument of six Corinthian columns above shows a basket of acanthus leaves on which rested the prize, now disappeared. The frieze was decorated with reliefs of the god Dionysus.