GREEK ARCHITECTURE

1. Greek Architecture

2. • Greece has been the source of highest artistic inspiration and its
architecture has influenced almost all styles till date.
• It is said that Greek Architecture was created in a short time. Their
ambition was to erect buildings, Humans in scale that is a classically
ideal architecture.
• GREEK ORDERS
• OPTICAL ILLUSION
• ENTASIS (a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the
visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft.)
• GOLDEN SECTION
• CARPENTRY IN MARBLE
• GREEK MASNORY
• ACROPOLIS
• AGORA
GREEK ARCHITECTURE AND INVENTIONS IN ARCHITECTURE

3. • The construction system of Greek architecture was
self-evident and in-complicated i.e. no arch, no vault
and no dome were used and the simplicity of lines and
proportions gave them the timeless look.
CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM
TRABEATED SYSTEM
• Greek architecture is developed from a wooden
structure of upright posts supporting beams and
slopping rafters.
• Greek columns and their entablature were at first
entirely of wood with terra-cotta decoration in upper
trabeation (the use of beams in architectural
construction, rather than arches or vaulting) but was
reproduced in stone around 600 BC.
• As the translation from wood to marble was quite
direct and the imitation was imitated with remarkable
exactness, it is called carpentry in marble.

4. The best known Greek contribution to architecture was a set of styles called orders.
GREEK ORDERS
• The Doric style is sturdy
and its top is plain. This
style was used in
mainland Greece and the
colonies in southern Italy
and Sicily.
• The Ionic style is thinner
and more elegant. Its top is
decorated with a scroll-like
design (a volute). This style
was found in eastern
Greece and the islands.
• The Corinthian style is
seldom used in the Greek
world, but often seen on
Roman temples. Its capital is
very elaborate and decorated
with acanthus leaves.
DORIC ORDER IONIC ORDER CORINTHIAN ORDER

5. 3 MAIN PARTS OF COLUMNS
1. Entablature - Cornice, Frieze, Architrave
2. Column- Capital, Shaft, Base
3. Pedestal- Cap, Die, Base

6. • Capital- a circle topped by a
square.
• Shaft -- 20 sides.
• NO base in the Doric order.
• The area above the column is
called the frieze and had simple
patterns.
• stone section between triglyphs.
• Sometimes the metopes had
statues of heroes or gods on
them.
• The triglyphs are a pattern of 3
vertical lines between the
metopes.
• Its height including the capital
is 4 to 6 times the diameter of
base.
DORIC ORDERS
ENTABLATURES (3 PARTS)
• Cornice
• Frieze
• architrave

7. IONIC ORDERS
COLUMN
• It was slenderer than
Doric.
• Base at lower end to
spread the load
transmitted.
• Its height, including the
capital and base was 9
times lower diameter.
ENTABLATURES
(2 parts)
• Architrave
• cornice

8. Capital-inverted bell with
leaves and flowers
COLUMN
• Base and shaft resembles Ionic.
• More slender than ionic
• 10-times its diameter in height.
ENTABLATURE
• Almost like ionic.
• Sometimes both Doric and Ionic
entablature were used
CORINTHIAN ORDER

9. Designed by Iktinos (Architect)
• Due to the presence of optical illusions, the Parthenon has what are known as “optical refinements” built into its
structure.
• These illusions are physiological and psychological in nature. They are not geometrical effects.
• To the unaided eye, columns tend to look narrower in the middle than at the top or bottom.
• Each of the columns in the Parthenon was built with a slight bulge in the middle, to make them appear “straight”.
• Columns tend to “contract” near the top, and hence the base of each column was built a little thicker.
• Columns further away from the centre appear thicker. To counteract this effect, the columns in the centre were
built a little thicker.
• Horizontal lines appear to “dip” in the middle, and hence the centre portion of the floor was slightly raised.

10. • ENTASIS-This device was
used by Greek builders and
adopted by Romans.
• It is the slight curvature of
a column CLASSICAL
COLUMN that diminishes
as it rises.
• In the Doric column of
Parthenon,34ft high and 6ft
3in. In diameter at the
bottom the total convexity
is only 3-4 in.
Optical correction in
Architecture ENTASIS
(convavity)

14. • Acropolis in Greek means "The
Sacred Rock, the high city". All
around the world
• the Acropolis of Athens is
known as 'The Acropolis'.
• The Acropolis is primarily
dedicated to the Goddess
Athena.
Acropolis Athens

15. Acropolis:
A settlement, especially
a citadel, built upon an
area of elevated ground
– frequently a hill with
precipitous sides, chosen
for purposes of defence
• 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.

18. Plan of the Acropolis:
1) Temple of Athena Nike;
2) Propylaea;
3) Statue of Athena Promachus;
4) Erechtheum;
5) Old Temple of Athena;
6) Parthenon.

19. • Propylaea to Athenian
Acropolis
•
(Classical Period; only
entrance)

20. Temple of Athena

21. PARTHENON