Greek architecture

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PRESENTED BY:
SMIT J. PANCHAL
RONAK JAIN
TUSHAR KACHADIYA
SARYU A. PATEL

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION
GEOLOGICAL CONDITION
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
HISTORICAL CONDITION
GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITION:
The ‘Aegean’ culture was started on ‘Crete’ an
island in the Mediterranean sea in about 3000
B.C. by the migration of the people from Asia
minor. after the fall of ‘Aegean’ its culture was
extended to Greece and its island centuries
later.
It had a link by trade and commerce with Asia
minor, Cyprus, Palestine, Syria, Egypt and as far
as Italy and Sicily.
Geography had a great influence on the Greek
culture. the country is a mountainous and
separated by the hills and dales.
Moreover the area is surrounded on all three
sides by sea with innumerable islands. the coast
line is indented with many natural harbours. sea
was the main source of communication.
naturally the Greeks became bold, adventurous
sea-men. they mainly depended for their
expansion of kingdom on colonization.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
GEOLOGICAL CONDITION:
Greece and its islands had plenty of building
materials. But amongst them, the building stone
of great importance was unrivalled marble
which was plenty near Athens. On account of its
beauty and fine texture it was possible for them
to achieve refine treatment and delicacy of
outlines in their carvings which are the main
characteristics of GREEK ARCHITECTURE.
The Greeks attached so much liking to this
marble that they even covered stone and sun-
dried bricks with marble ‘stucco’ – a powdered
marble dust to receive colour decoration.
This marble stucco had been used in many
Greek – temples and palaces and have been
highly polished that they reflect like a mirror,
which is another important feature of GREEK
ARCHITECTURE.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
CLIMATIC CONDITION:
The climate is moderate, neither too cold nor
too hot. This favoured the Greeks an outdoor
life. They therefore constructed building suited
to their out-door life such as administrative
building, theatres, agora-an open air market,
etc.
The hot sun and sudden, unexpected showers of
rains were the reasons for the construction of
portico and colonnades which have become
characteristic features of their style.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION:
The religion of ‘Aegean’ was based on natural
worship and had many divinities in the form of
human, scared bulls, but ‘ rhea’ the goddess of
fertility or mother goddess was supreme.
Priestesses rather than priests, carried out on
sacrificial alter, in open air courtyard or in small
shrines. Hence no temples were built.
But after the fall of Aegean, the Greeks began to
worship their deities in the temples. The Greek
temples were surrounded by open colonnades
in full view of common people. This is in strong
contrast to the Egyptian temples which were
royal monuments and hidden from public gaze
and enclosed within high massive girdle walls.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION:
Civilization spread mainly during ‘Bronze Age’ in the
island of ‘Crete’ consisting of about hundred cities.
Trade and commerce, science and astronomy greatly
developed. The Greeks were democratic and women
played important role in social life. The idea was based
on individual freedom. However common customs,
religions, ideas and great epics united them like the
Indians. Greeks’ national games and festivals
encouraged literature, music and drama. Hence Greeks
constructed stadiums, palaestra (wrestling school),
theatres (for dance, drama), hippo-drome (for horse
and chariot race), basilica (assembly hall) and agora
(open air market) etc. Greek did not believe in life after
death, hence there was little concern for tombs.
There were also Pythagoras, the great Mathematician,
Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle the great Philosopher,
Scientist and Teacher of ‘Alexander the Great’.
Greek’s love for beauty and variety gave rise to two
versions of columns and entablature, the Doric of
Western and Ionic of Eastern Greeks and the latter
developed a third, the Corinthian. The three are known
as ‘Orders of Architecture’ column consists of base,
shaft, capital and entablature is made of architrave,
frieze and cornice.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATIC CONDITION
RELIGIOUS CONDITION
SOCIAL CONDITION
HISTORICAL CONDITION:
‘Hellenic’ Greece was born with a humble start and
made very rapid development with new civilization.
And by 600 B.C. the Greeks founded most of their
colonies. Most of the temples and world famous
buildings were built during this period on the high
ground at acropolis (upper city) in Athens.
After Sparta’s arbitrary rule, next came philip (359-335
B.C.), the able king of Macedonia, under whose rule,
the Athenian prosperity was at its highest peak. His
son ‘Alexander the Great’ (336-323 B.C.) rose to a high
position. In 334 B.C. within a span of six years he
conquered the Egyptian and Persian empire. He
founded in Egypt the famous city ‘Alexandria’ which
became the main centre of Greek culture. He also
conquered some part of northern India in 326 B.C.
which helped the Greek art and culture to spread in
Asian countries. On his return journey he died at
Babylon in 323 B.C. at the early age of 32.
Greece finally fell to Romans in 146 B.C. Cleopetra, the
last queen of Egypt, eventually married Mark Antony in
37 B.C. hoping to extend her empire. However after
the defeat, she committed suicide in 30 B.C. when
Egypt was captured by Octavian, the future Roman
Emperor Augustus.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
HELLENIC PERIOD (650 – 323 B.C.)
HELLENISTIC PERIOD (323 – 30 B.C.)
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES:
The term Hellenic is used to describe the early
Greek’s Civilization.
Greek Architecture is essentially a columnar and
trabeated style and is considered to have evolved
from wooden hut of upright posts and supporting
beam and sloping rafters. The architectural style
was simple in appearance and self – evident in
design.
Spans were limited because of trabeated style
where the architraves were composed of single
blocks of stones or marbles. They often used
internal columns in temple hall. Arches, Domes,
Vaults were not used by the Greeks. This is in
strong contrast to the Roman Vault, Domes which
were used to cover the vast spans. Greeks used
timber in the beginning but soon they started using
the marble, the most beautiful building stone. The
same timber forms were imitated with great artistic
skill, in refined treatment and delicacy of out–lines
in their carvings. On account of this, Greek
architecture has been rightly called as “CARPENTRY
IN MARBLE”

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
CHARACTERISTICS FEATURES:
The exteriors of the buildings were designed
with colonnades i.e. a series of columns. The
doorways were square and rectangular.
Windows were rarely used. Sloping roofs were
covered with terra cotta or marble tiles mask.
In 600 B.C. the use of marble became limited
and was used only for finer works and
sculptures. The walls were constructed with
rubble and ashlar. But no mortar was used. They
minimised the joints by using large sized stoned.
Stone walls were beautified with marble stucco.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS:
The important refinement adopted in Greek
style was to correct the optical illusion. The long
horizontal feature such as entablature which if
built straight would have appeared to sag in the
middle. This has been corrected by forming the
façade with slight convex outlines in the centre.
Also the vertical columns if built straight would
have appeared curved inward. Hence to correct
this defect, the sides of the columns were
curved in a convex manner i.e. were made to
bulge in the centre slightly, known as ‘Entasis’.
Also the letters of inscriptions were made larger
in upper lines than in lower, so that they might
appear to be of the same size when seen from
ground level.
The admirable refinement, delicate adjustment,
testify the remarkable sense of form and
proportion exhibited in all the Greek Buildings.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS:
A. Correction of apparent proportions from an
inscription on the face of the antae of a
temple at Priene.
B. Colour Effect on Proportions
1. X- The metopes & naos wall being black the
columns appear sturdier and the architrave,
triglyphs & cornice have importance.
2. Y- With reversed colouring, the columns
appear thinner & higher & the entrablature
loses its importance.
C. The Parthenon – Inclination of columns &
entablature.
(H) Parallel straight lines having convex curves
on either side appear wider apart in the center.
(J) Parallel straight lines having concave curves
on either side appear closer together in the
center.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS:
D. Entasis: Vertical features were also inclined
inwards towards the top to correct the
appearance of falling outwards. This is called
Entasis. The shafts of the Parthenon have a
slight convexity of silhouette – as well as the
usual upward taper – the deviation amounting
to 11/16“ in a height of 31 ft.
E. Angle columns of temples were not only set
closer to the adjacent columns, but were also
stouter, as it was found that they appeared
thinner against the open sky than those seen
against the solid background of the ‘naos’ wall.
F. The long horizontal lines of features as
stylobates, architraves and cornices, which if
straight in reality would have appeared to sag or
drop in the middle of their length, were formed
with slightly convex outlines (In Parthenon, it
has a upward curvature of 3/8”)

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS
ORDERS
The three kind of architectural vocabularies
called Orders of architecture namely, DORIC,
IONIC AND CORINTHIAN were standardised and
were largely employed in temples and places to
attain the greatest effect with regard to beauty.
The Greek Orders were necessary features of
construction and essence of Greek Architecture.
An order in classic architecture consists of
upright column or support and the horizontal
entablature or part supported. The column
consists of base, the bottom part, shaft, the
middle part, while entablature consists of
architrave, the lower part, frieze, the middle
part and cornice the upper most part.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS
ORDERS
The Greek classic order is distinguished from
other I the sense that the different forms are
brought to a definite set of rules.
But these may not be necessarily taken as the
principles on which they were first designed.
These are the outcome of the study of the
scholars of later times to fit the old examples.
Greek buildings with all its beauty and
grandeur existed even before the
Orders were formed. Hence the Orders
we study are based on the
measurements of the existed Classic
Orders.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – DORIC
The column height is six to seven times its lower
diameter ‘D’. The column has no base but stands
directly on a platform of three steps called
Crepidoma. The bottom part is called Plinth
(Stereobate) the middle, dado or die and the top
one, the sylobate, each part being ¼ ‘D’ in
height.
The word Doric comes from Dorians the people
of ancient Greece. The Oreder is taken from the
famous Temple of Parthenon at Athens. It was
constructed in B.C. 438 on the high grounds of
Acropolis.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – DORIC
ORDERS – DORIC
The shaft is circular and gradually tapersto 2/3D
to 3/4D at top. The shaft in its length is divided
into 20 flutes. i.e. elliptical channels or grooves,
separated by sharp projections or ‘Arrises’. The
‘Inter columniation’ or centre to centre distance
between two adjacent columns measured at the
lower diameter of their shafts is 2D.
The distinctive capital consists of ‘Abacus’ and
‘Echinus’. The abacus which is square block
forms the upper member of the capital. The
‘echinus’ has a varying outline, Below the
echinus, there are horizontal filtets three to five
in numbers called ‘Annulets’ which break the
vertical lines of the arrises and flutes of shaft.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – DORIC
ORDERS – DORIC
ENTABLATURE – The entablature which is two diameter
high, consists of three parts, namely ‘ Architrave’, ‘Frieze’
and ‘Cornice’.
ARCHITRAVE – it is lintel proper which is plain and ¾ ‘D’ in
height. It has a flat moulding at top called the ‘Taenia’ and
below it is a ‘regula’ a short band with six ‘ guattae’ i.e.
small cone like blocks occurring under each triglyph. The
Architrave projects slightly beyond the face of the column.
FRIEZE – the frieze which is ¾ ‘D’ high contains ‘Triglyph’
and ‘Metope’. The width of Triglyph is ussually one
module. The Triglyph 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’, they
generally contain sculptures of hunting, fighting etc.
CORNICE – it is the crowning part. It is semi – diameter
high. It has at the top curved shaped slab called
‘Cymatium’ or a guttr-moulding resting on a birds beak and
below this, is corona orvertical face. The cornice projects
beyond the frieze by one module. On the top of cornice,
decorated bocks called ‘Antefixae’ are placed at regular
distance to hide the joints of the roof tiles.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – DORIC
ORDERS – DORIC
EVOLUTION OF DORIC ORDER

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – DORIC
ORDERS – DORIC

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – IONIC
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 ‘Torus’ separated by ‘Scotia’
and fillets. The circular shaft has 24 flutes
separated by fillets and not by arrises as in Doric
order. The shaft dimensions to 5/6 the diameter
at its top. The inter-columniation is 4D
This Order is named after the Ionians of ancient
Greece. The Ionic Order is specially remarkable
for its volute or scroll capital or decorative motif
derived from lotus or nautilus shell or ram’s
horns

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – IONIC
ORDERS – IONIC
ENTABLATURE – The Ionic entablature varies in
height but is usually about two diameter high.
It consists of the following:
ARCHITRAVE – It is –r dimeter high. It consists of
triple fasciae i.e. three beams projecting one
above the other.
FRIEZE – It is either plan or ornamented by a
continuous band of sculptures. It is ̂diameter
high.
CORNICE – It has a similar treatment like Doric
Order. It is semi-diameter high. There is usually
no antifixae on the flanks but aymatium is
elaborately enriched by lotus and papyrus
ornament.
The Greek Ionic Order is more ornate than the
Doric. It has grace, elegance and refinement of
outlines.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – IONIC VOULTE

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – CORINTHIAN
The Corinthian Order has distinctive capital which is
much deeper than Ionic being about 1-1/3 diameter
high. Its origin is uncertain but it might have been
evolved from the Egyptian ‘Bell’ shaped capital
The column including base, shaft and capital is about
ten times its lower diameter in height.
The base is semi-diameter high like the Ionian Order
with its upper and lower torus separated by Scotia and
fillets. The lower Torus is W times the diameter of the
shaft. The shaft is circular and tapered to 5/6 the
diameter at top. It has 24 flutes separated by fillets,
which are nearly one-fourth of the width of the flutes.
The intercolumniation is 3 D.
Usual type of capital has a deep inverted bell shape,
the lower part of which contains two rows of eight
acanthus leaves resting on lotus or water leaves from
which spring small volutes supporting the corners of
the moulded abacus and the central foliated
ornaments.
This Order is more lighter and The Greek Corinthian
Order was chiefly used as a decorative feature and
was little used by the Greeks.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ENTABLATURE – The Corinthian entablature
which is usually 2 j diameter high bears a
closeresemblance to the Ionic Order. It consists
of the following:
ARCHITRAVE – It is –r dimeter high and is
divided in three fasciae i.e. three slabs raised
one above the other with slight projections.
FRIEZE – It is also –j diameter high and
ornamented by a continuous band of
sculptures.
CORNICE – It is lighter than other types. It is also
-% diameter high and contains dentils below the
corona. At top ‘Antefixa’ ornament is provided.
The Order is more lighter and The Greek
Corinthian Order chiefly used as a decorative
feature and was little used by the Greeks.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS – CORINTHIAN CAPITAL
ORDERS – EVOLUTION OF THE
CORINTHIAN CAPITAL

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ORDERS
ORDERS – COMPARISION

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ACROPOLIS
ACROPOLIS
The Acropolis at Athens is the supreme example
of a Greek sanctuary. It was originally a Late
Bronze Age citadel, with massive fortifications
similar to those at Tiryns and Mycenae, and
with a western entrance gate flanked by a
projecting bastion like the Lion gate at Mycenae.
The usual buildings in
the Acropolis at
Athens were Temples
constructions.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
ACROPOLIS
TEMPLES
The temples were main types of buildings in
the Hellenic period. They were to worship the
deities to whom the temple was dedicated.
The Greek temples are oriented to face east so
that the statue of the deity would be lit by the
glory of the rising sun
The temple is usually surrounded by open
colonnades which is character of the Greek
architecture. The entrance doors on the east
front were tall, about the height of naos so as to
allow plenty of light to lit the statue in the naos
treasury chambers in front and rear known as
pronaos and epinaos.
Windows were rare which gave to the thought
that a few temples might have been partly open
to sky. The front consists of closely spaced
columns supporting a triangular shaped
pediment. The tympanum in the pediment is
usually filled with sculptures. The timber roofs
were most common, covered with terra-cotta or
marble tiles overlapping one above the other.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
COMPARATIVE PLANS OF GREEK
TEMPLES

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PARTHENON AT ATHENS
447 – 432 B.C.
The temple is built entirely in pentelic marble
on the high ground of Acropolis, south of
Temple of Athena (old) and dedicated to Athena
Parthenon the virgin Athena.
It was constructed by the architects Ictinus and
Callicrates under the supervision of master
sculptor Pheidias.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PARTHENON AT ATHENS
447 – 432 B.C.
The temple is built on rectangular plan 71 m
long and 32 m wide. It stands on crepidoma, a
platform of three steps with tread 70 cm, and
rise 50 cm and curves up in the middle of all
four sides. These being difficult to climb,
smaller steps are also provided at the centre of
east and west ends.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PARTHENON AT ATHENS 447 – 432 B.C.
ELEVATIONS
SECTIONS
The temple is constructed
facing east so that the
first rays of the rising sun
should fall and illuminate
the statue of Athena,
which is placed in ‘naos’
measuring 30 m long, 19
m wide with three rows
of columns, ten on each
side and five on western
side in two tiers.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PARTHENON AT ATHENS
447 – 432 B.C.
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 13
M with its pedestal.

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
PARTHENON AT ATHENS
447 – 432 B.C.
There are seventeen columns on either side
measuring the corner columns twice, the
intermediate columns are about L88 m whereas
the corner columns are 1.90 m in diameter at
base.
The corner columns were not only made stouter
but also set closer to the adjacent columns.
Otherwise they would have appeared thinner
and lonely against the open sky than those seen
against the solid background of the naos wall.
All columns are 10.4 m high and of Doric Order.
The fluting of the columns represent the highest
degree of artistry, the shafts have the slight
convexity or entasis.
The temple is designed in octa-style i.e. eight
columns in front and back, which lean inward.

Greek architecture

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