GREEK ARCHITECTURE

The Greek architecture is divided into two main periods

Hellenic Period
Hellenistic Period

HELLENIC PERIOD

The term Hellenic is used to describe the early Greeks civilization.

The combined influence of Egypt and Assyria is traceable in the early development of
Greek-Style.
Spans were limited because of trabeated style where the architraves were composed of
single blocks of stones or marbles.
Arches, Domes, Vaults were not used by the Greeks.
Greeks used timber in the beginning but soon they started using the marble, the most
beautiful building stone.
The Greek Architecture has been rightly called as Carpentry In Marble

HELLENISTIC PERIOD

The term is used to describe the Greek Civilization when it was partly influenced by
Middle Eastern Culture.
Three Orders of Architecture were used to suit the requirement, but the ornate
Corinthian Order was more popularly used, than Doric and Ionic Orders.

THE GREEK ORDERS

The Doric Order

The Ionic Order
The Corinthian Order

THE GREEK DORIC ORDER

The word Doric comes from Dorians.

The Order is taken from the famous Temple of Parthenon at Athens.
It was constructed in B.C 438 on the high grounds of Acropolis, by the architects
Ictinus and Callicrates under the supervision of Pheidias .

COLUMN
The column height is 6 to 7 times its lower diameter.
The column has no base but stands directly on a platform of 3 steps called Crepidoma.
The bottom part is called Plinth.
The middle, dado or die and the top one, the sylobate, each part being diameter in
height.
The shaft has a slightly convex profile called Entasis.

The shaft is circular and gradually tapers to to 2/3 at top.

The shaft length is 20 flutes i.e. elliptical channels or grooves separated by sharp
projection.

ENTABLATURE
The Entablature is 2 diameter high.
The Entablature consist of 3 parts.
Architrave
Frieze
Cornice

ARCHITRAVE
It is lintel proper which is plain.
diameter in height.
It has a flat moulding at top called the Taenia.
The below of architrave is called as Regula.
The Architrave projects slightly beyond the face of the column.

FRIEZE
The frieze is diameter high contains of Triglyph and Metope
The Triglyph is formed by 2 upright v-shaped channels with similar half channels on both
ends which are rounded at top.
The width of triglyph is usually one module.
The triglyphs are placed immediately over the columns and at centres of the bays.
The triglyphs are so arranged that the spaces between them are nearly squares. These
squares are called Metopes.

CORNICE
It is crowing part.
It is semi diameter high.
It has at top the curved shaped slab called Cymatium or a gutter-moulding resting on a
birds beak
Below this is corona or vertical face.
The cornice projects beyond the frieze by one module.
The soffit or the underside of the cornice is made inclined in the direction of the
sloping roof and has flat blocks called Mutules which form the caves.
The Mutules are provided over each triglyph and three rows each containing six.
On the top of cornice, decorated blocks called Antefixae
Antefixae are placed at regular distance to hide the joints of the roof lower ends of
pediment Acroteria or ornamental blocks are placed.
The Greek Doric is the oldest of the Orders, it is grace and fine proportion.
It was Greek national Order.

THE GREEK IONIC ORDER

The Ionians of ancient Greece.

The order is taken from temple of Erechtheion built in the year 409 B.C

COLUMNS
The column has a base.
The column height including base, shaft and capital is usually nine times the lower
diameter.
The moulded base which is semi-diameter in height consists of upper and lower tours
separated by scotia and fillets.
The scotia is a concave moulding lying between upper and lower torus.
The lower torus is 1.5 times the diameter of the column-shaft.
The circular shaft has 24 flutes separated by fillets and not by arrises as in Doric
order.
The shaft diminishes to 5/6 the diameter at its top.

THE TEMPLE O PARTHENON AT ATHENS

The temple is entirely built out of pentelic marble on the high ground of Acropolis.
Its constructed by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates under the supervision of
master sculptor Pheidias.
The temple is built on rectangular plan 71m (2288) long and 32m (1014) wide.
Its stands on Crepidoma, a platform of three steps with tread 70cm and rise 50cm and
curves up in the middle of all the four sides.
These being difficult to climb, smaller steps are also provided at the center of east and
west ends.
The temple is designed in octa-style i.e eight columns in the front and back, which lean
inward.
There are 17 columns on either side measuring the corner columns twice.
The intermediate columns are about 1.88m whereas the corner columns are 1.90m in
diameter at base.
The temple is constructed facing east so that the first rays of the rising sun should fall
and illuminate the statue of Athena.
Athenas is placed in naos measuring 30m long, 19m wide with three rows of columns, ten
on each side and five on western side in two tiers.
The statue of Athena in gold and ivory with eyes of precious stones was the finest
sculptural achievement of master artist Pheidias.
The statue measured 13m with its pedestal.
To its west is the virgins chamber-the Parthenon from which the temple derived its
name.
Its roof is supported by 4 Ionic columns.
The entablature supported on columns is about 3.4m high and curve up in the middle.
The architrave was ornamented with bronze shields.
The sculptured metopes are about 1.34m square numbering 14 on front and back 32 on
south and north sides.
The pediment inclined inclined at 13 degree 30seconds had floral decoration called
Acroteria about 3m high at its top and lower angles.

The sloping cornices of pediment contained the honey suckle ornament.

In order to cover the ends of marble tiles, the lower edges of the roof are masked by
Antefixae ornament.
The tympana in the pediment are fully enriched with fine sculptures in bright colours.
The temple at its glory stood as a miracle of architecture with its shining marble,
sensuous sculpture in glowing colours.
The Poet Emerson paid the highest compliment in the following lines:
EARTH PROUDLY WEARS THE PARTHENON
AS THE BEST GEM UPON HER ZONE