Transcript Document
Greek Architecture Kevin J. Benoy Origins • Our word “architecture” comes from the Greek architecton, which means “master carpenter.” • Early Greek architecture therefore employed wood, not stone. • These early structures, as well as those of mudbrick, have not survived. Wood Features in Stone • By the 6th Century BC, stone replaced wood in the construction of important temples. • Designs still reflected their origins in wood, however. Origins • The trigyph, which alternates with the metapes, began as wooden beam ends. Origins • In moving from wood to stone, builders had to adapt to the differing properties of their building materials. • Stone has greater compressive (resistance to crushing) strength than wood, but lacks tensile strength (resistance to bending or twisting). Therefore, while columns/posts might be relatively thin, the entablature/beams, must be quite thick. Origins • Greek temples, like Egyptian temples, used basic post-andbeam construction. • This is sometimes referred to as trabeated. Origins Temple of Hera, Paestum Hephaistion, Athens • Early temples had massive pillars as architects worried about their ability to support the weight above. • Later temples appear more elegant. Origins • Some experts feel that the entasis, the outward bulging in the middle of Greek columns, may originally have been an imitation of the effect of great compression in wooden posts. • It also serves as a kind of correction to an optical illusion, however. Entasis • Entasis counteracts the tendency of the eye to reach upward, forcing it to travel up and down the shaft. • Columns that are straight appear thinner in the middle when seen against light, making the supports appear flimsy. • The middle bulge counteracts this. • The upper 2/3 of the shafts to the right are tapered. Temples - Purpose • Unlike modern churches or mosques, Greek temples were not meant to be meeting places for congregations. • They were homes for the community’s god or goddess and a place to keep offerings • A cult image was centrally located within a naos, or chapel. Temples - Purpose • In the mild climate of Greece, ceremonies generally took place outdoors. • Even the alter, upon which sacrifices were made, were outside the temple structure. Temple Forms • Greek temples, like Egyptian ones, tended to follow set patterns, which were regarded as ideal forms. • Variations are few in any given period, tending to reflect the choice of a particular classical order, rather than new and novel design. The Classical Orders • The three classical orders are: – Doric – Ionic – Corinthian The Doric Order • Doric columns are the heaviest in appearance • The capital is plain. • The shaft is thick – though it loses some of its mass over time. • There is no base. The Ionic Order • These have greater elegance. • The capital has distinctive volutes. • The shaft is thinner than its Doric equivalent. • A base is apparent. The Corinthian Order • This is also a tall, elegant form. • The capital has distinctive acanthus leaf decoration. • A base is also employed. Parts of a Greek Temple • There are four distinct parts to a greek temple. – The bottom, horizontal part is the steps. Most Greek temples had three of them. – This part is called the stylobate. Parts of a Greek Temple • The next section is vertical and is the column. – Most columns had a base (though not the Doric), at the bottom, a shaft in the middle, and a capital at the top. – The shaft may be smooth or fluted. Parts of a Greek Temple • Above the column is the entablature. If the column is the leg, think of this as the tabletop. – It has 3 parts: the architrave, a kind of base. – The frieze, a decorated part – The cornice the top. Parts of a Greek Temple • The top section is angled and is called the pediment. – The sloping top part is called the sloping cornice. – The triangular part below is called the tympanum. This is often carved and decorated. – Sometimes there are caved features sticking up from the room. These are called antifixae or acroterions. Plans of Greek Temples • The grandeur and evident expense of a temple can be seen in the number of columns employed. • Simple tempes have blank walls around a naos, or chapel. With an open area or porch in front, called a pronaos, with two or four supporting columns. Designs of Greek Temples Designs of Greek Temples Reconstruction of the Parthenon in Nashville. • Grander temples, like the Parthenon, had both a front and back porch, as well as a colonnade surrounding the entire structure. • This is called a peripteral temple. Designs of Greek Temples Designs of Greek Temples • Grander still, and generally from the Hellenistic age, are dipteral temples. • They have a double colonnade surrounding Artist’s reconstruction of the Temple them. of Artemis, Ephesus, Turkey Designs of Greek Temples Important Structures – The Acropolis • The most famous Greek buildings topped the Athenian Acropolis. • These include: the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Erectheum. The Propylaea • This is the monumental entry point to the acropolis. Temple of Athena Nike • This is a small temple dedicated to the victorious Athena. • The ratio of height to diameter of the columns is 7:1 and not the 9:1 or 10:1 generally found in Ionic temples. The Parthenon • This is the most important and perfectly formed temple on the acropolis. • Dedicated to Athena, it housed an enormous cult image. Parthenon • This building is the culmination of Classical Greek architecture. • Optical refinements are many, and the result is a building reflecting the Greek concept of arete, perfection. Click here to see a NOVA video clip on the Parthenon’s optical refinements. The Parthenon • One of the Parthenon’s most impressive features was not seen by most worshippers – the great frieze showing the Panathenaic Procession. • The colour of this reconstruction is indicative of what much of the structure would have looked like before being bleached by centuries of Mediterranean sun. The Erechtheum • This is a complex building of up to four distinct spaces. • It is also built on a slope, so its walls are of differing heights. • It is dedicated to Athena Polias and Poseidon Erechtheus. The Erechtheum • The most distinctive element of this building is the Porch of the Maidens. Important Structures – The Great Altar of Pergamum • This Hellenistic building broke completely with traditional style. • The frieze was brought down to the level of outside observers. • The colonnade was raised above it. The Greek Heritage • Greek architecture had a lasting impact on the world. • The Romans adopted it as an ideal, but modified it to meet their practical needs. The Greek Heritage • Today, elements of Greek architecture surround us everywhere, from the Doric columns gracing local homes to the great Ionic capitals of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The Greek Heritage • Greek forms have become an integral part of the vocabulary of world architecture The Supreme Court of the United States Finis