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ARC 110
History 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 17
Ancient Greek Architecture
Outline of Lecture
• Lecture 17
–Historical Background
• Location and period
• Social characteristics and beliefs
Historical Background
Historical Background
Location
• 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 Background
Location
• 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
Historical Background
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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Period
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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.
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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.
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Historical Background
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
• 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
Module 6 Lecture 18
Ancient Greek Architecture
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
The Orders
Introduction
• 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.
The Orders
Introduction
• 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 Orders
Ionic Order
• 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
The Orders
Ionic Order
• 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, 6hexastyle, 8-octastyle and 10decastyle
• 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 columnsearly 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
Module 6 Lecture 19
Ancient Greek Architecture
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 Design
The 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 Design
The 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 Design
The 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 Design
The 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 Athens
Architecture, 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 Athens
The 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 Athens
The 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Parthenon
• 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Parthenon
• 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Parthenon
• 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Erectheum
• 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Erectheum
• 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
Greek Architecture in Athens
The Erectheum
• 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
Module 6 Lecture 20
Ancient Greek Architecture
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
Buildings & Other Arch. Elements
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
Buildings & Other Arch. Elements
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
Materials, Construction & Tech.
Construction and Technology
• 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
Materials, Construction & Tech.
Construction and Technology
• 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