Greek+Architecture

Standing the Test of Time [|http://dicksonarchitects.com] By: Erin When people think of architecture, mos t only think of the math and science behind it, disregarding the final product. In Greece, the people not only appreciated it, but reveled in its importance. Greek architecture is known for its strength and beauty. Their buildings and styles stand the test of time: The originals still exist after thousands of years, and modern architects strive to emulate them.

The Greeks used many different kinds of materials to construct their buildings, temples and houses. They mainly built public buildings and temples out of stone, with roofs made of terra cotta or stone. Originally they used wood, but changed in 700 BC. There were limestone and marble quarries all around Greece, but limestone was more commonly used since it was more abundant (Rees). Marble was a little scarcer and the highest quality was only found on Mt. Pentelus in Attica and on a few islands. Therefore, it was usually saved for the grandest buildings or decoration (Crystal). The blocks had to be carved on-site with hammers and mallets and then were transported in ox-drawn carts. (Dorling Kindersley). Columns were created when the carved blocks stood one on top of the other. To keep them from falling, they were held together with wooden or metal pegs (Rees). Though construction was important, the most widely known part of Greek Architecture was the many styles of columns

When building temples and other important buildings, architects used columns to hold up the ceiling. The three main orders of Greek columns were Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Doric columns were simple and sturdy. It was a very formal, yet commonly used style of column and has been around since the seventh century BC. The columns had no base and were just directly on the ground. This column was a sign of incorruptibility. Libraries, banks, and public buildings looked more trustworthy with Doric columns. The indentations around the column are called flutes. Doric columns had parallel concaves, but not a specific number. Ionic columns were thinner and more sophisticated. At the top, there was a decorative scroll-like design called a volute.There was an engraving called egg-and-dart at the top of the column which alternates egg shapes and dart shapes. This column was most commonly used in Eastern Greece. Ionic columns stood on a platform, unlike the Doric order, and usually had 24 flutes, but the number could fluctuate (Crystal). At a distance, the columns looked straight, but when seen up close, they actually had a small bulge in the middle called //entasis// ( Schulman). Corinthian columns were the most decorative, but seldom used in Greek architecture. At the top of the slender column was an intricately designed carving that looked like leaves. It was said to be invented by the architect Callimachus who saw a basket full of toys with plants entwined within it on a little girl’s grave. He was inspired to make a column like it. The Corinthian column was similar to the Ionic, but thinner and had a more elaborate top (Crystal). These kinds of columns were used all over Greece and the remains of some are still visible today.

The Parthenon is a perfect example of a building that used columns from the Doric order. It was built between the years 447-432 BCE. This temple, built in Athens, was dedicated to the goddess Athena, the name-sake of the city, and cost the Athenian treasury 469 silver talents. One talent is roughly $13,000 today so the whole building would have cost about $6,345,570 (Sakoulas). The building was made of 20,000 tons of stone and surrounded by 46 columns. Inside the Parthenon was a 33-foot gold and ivory statue of Athena ( Senker ). Iktinos and Kallikrates were the architects that constructed the Parthenon. Both were excellent visionaries and, though most temples are only supposed to be viewed from the outside, they designed it to look aesthetically pleasing from any angle, with a smooth transition from the outside to the inside. They constructed it so that there were no completely straight lines, even though everything looks geometric. The Doric columns were built so it looked like they swelled in the middle, as if the weight of the building was pushing down on them. The corner columns were designed to be six centimeters wider in diameter and the space between other surrounding columns was 25 centimeters less because of the way the light shines through the temple. It actually makes the columns look thinner ( Sakoulas). Though temples were a grand sight, they were not the only buildings in the cities.

The regular, everyday structures, however, were rather plain. In fact, the design of the cities in ancient Greece was chaotic and hectic. Before 500 BC, the Greeks did not plan out their cities and just built things as they were needed. It was common to see narrow, twisted streets with no real pattern to them. Streets were elongated and houses, temples and markets were added on where ever people could find space. After 500 BC, the architects started to plan and rebuild the cities with straight lines and right angles. In the cities, they also built gymnasiums, theaters, agoras, stadiums, and //stoas//. //Stoas// are covered walk ways that were usually built around market places, or agoras (Rees). Greeks had special buildings for the people in the government. The //bouleterion// was a large room with many levels of seats on three sides where the Council met. The most powerful in the council, called the //prytaneis//, met in a temple like building called a //tholos//. Even though the Greeks spent so much time building their temples, normal citizens were not allowed to go inside. The religious ceremonies were therefore performed outside the temples at alters. The only place in Greece where citizens were regularly allowed in the temple was in Crete (Senker). Temples may have been extravagant, but most of the houses were not.

Ancient Greek houses were not elaborate as they are many times pictured in movies. Only extremely rich people had many floors and rooms, even separate ones for slaves. The usual Greek house was modest and simple, with not many decorations. Since agriculture was the most important job back then, most people lived in the country and worked on farms. The country houses were made of wood and sun-dried clay and typically had around three rooms. The floor was hard packed dirt, but sometimes people would cover it with a straw mat. There were a few beautiful villas, country houses for the rich, but not many because people could not afford to build and keep them in good condition. Greek townhouses were usually made of stone and sun-dried clay bricks, sometimes reinforced with wood. The only down side was that the walls crumbled easily and called for constant repair. Because there were so many people in a small area, the houses were crammed together and were placed randomly around the cities, just filling in the spaces between agoras, theaters, temples, and more. It was a very monotonous scene, with all the houses having one door, painted white, and with one or two windows. Outside the house in the front was a //herm//, a statue of Hermes, god of travelers and strangers, whom they believed

kept evil out. Another characteristic of Greek houses is the polar direction they faced. Most houses faced south because in summer the sun went over the roof, creating shade, and in winter, the sun warmed the courtyard. Townhouses had around four to seven rooms and many had a courtyard built in the middle (Nardo). The houses may not have been extravagant, but since the Greeks put so much effort into their other buildings, it makes up for the simplicity of their houses.

Though it seems insignificant, architecture was a big part of ancient Greek life. The Greeks took their time when building and the finished products were always magnificent. The influence of Greeks styles have become a staple in modern day design. It is because of their innovative techniques and column styles that have kept this kind of architecture alive today. Not many objects, whether they be tangible or intangible, can stand the test of time, but architecture sure does.

Work Cited Crystal, Ellie. "Greek Architecture - Crystalinks." // Crystalinks Home Page //. Web. 03 Dec. 2010.. Dorling Kindersley. "Temples." // Ancient Greece //. Ed. Gillian Denton. London, England: Alfred A.Knopf, 1992. 26-27. Print. Nardo, Don. "Houses: Their Structure, Layout, and Contents." // The Ancient Greeks at Home and at Work //. Mississippi: Lucent, 2004. 14-28. Print. Rees, Rosemary. "The Greek City." // The Ancient Greeks //. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library,2007. 28-29. Print. Sakoulas, Thomas. "Parthenon." // Ancient Greece //. 2010. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. . Schulman, Bruce R. "Classical Orders of Architecture." // Historic Landmarks Commission //. Web.10 Dec. 2010. . Senker, Cath. "Architecture." // Everyday Life in Ancient Greece //. Florence, Italy: McRae, 2001. 32-33. Print.