Transcript The Building Programme on the Acropolis

The Building Programme on the
Acropolis
Propylaia, Temples to Athena,
Parthenon, Erectheion, Athena Nike
Temple
History
• 566 BCE Reorganization
of the Panathenaia
• 550 Peisistratid stone
poros temple
(Hekatompedon)
• 490 Marble buidling on
site of Parthenon
• 480 Burning of the
Parthenon and Acropolis
buildings
• 447 - 438 Parthenon
• 438 Propylaia
• 425 - 421 Athena Nike
• 421 Peace of Nikias
• 415 Sicilian Expedition
• 421 - 406 Erectheion
Parthenon
• Perikles, the
politician
• Phidias, the
sculptor
• Iktinos and
Kallikrates, the
architects
• Athens
hegemony of the
Delian league
• 1/60th of
treasury paid to
Athens
• Doric order most perfect
example
RES PARTHENONICA
• 69.50 by 30.86 meters
• Octastyle. Doric with many elements derived from Ionic
order.
• Perfect ratio system (9:5) creating a vital building
• Curvature of stylobate, entasis of columns - the building
breathes
• All possibly carved elements are sculpted: metopes of the
exterior Doric frieze, both west and east pediments, Ionic
frieze of cella
Creativity of Architects
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Iktinos and Kallikrates
Re-use of earlier pre-Persian column drums.
Enlargement of Temple.
Doric innovation to use Octastyle façade.
20 meter deep foundations on the south side
to give a footing for expanded building.
Sculptural Themes
• West Pediment: Struggle of Athena and
Poseidon for control of Athens.
• East Pediment: Birth of Athena.
• 92 Metopes. East: Gigantomachy. West:
Amazonomachy. South: Centauromachy.
North: Fall of Troy.
• Ionic Frieze: Peplosphoros OR the Sacrifice
of the Daugthers of Erectheus.
Athena
Parthenos
Plan - Parthenon
• Prodomos
• Hekatompedon naos Pheidian cult statue
• Parthenon opisthodomos: city
treasury.
• Optical Refinements
– Entasis of columns
– Curvature of Stylobate and Crepidoma
Doric Corner Contraction
West Pediment
East Pediment
Propylaia
• Mnesikles - architect
• 438 - 432 BCE:
unfinished?
• Propylaia is the plural
of propylon.
• Pinakotheke to the
northwest.
• Southwest wing
curtailed because of
Athena Nike sanctuary
and Mycenaean wall
foundations.
• West section and East
section.
• West: Doric façade
• East: Five doors to
Acropolis.
Plan of Propylaia
Pinakotheke
• Pausanias
(2nd c CE)
saw works of
Polygnotos.
• Eleusinian
limestone
erasure step.
Interior View
• Doric Façade.
• Ionic interior
colonnade.
• Five doors to
the Acropolis.
Center one NOT
the most used.
View from the East
Propylaia Model
Athena Nike
• Kallikrates - architect.
• Tetrastyle, distyle,
Ionic
• Erected on Mycenaean
bastion.
• Archaic altar below.
Pentelic marble.
• East frieze: Gods.
• West frieze: Battles of
Greeks and Persians.
• Xoanon: Wooden cult
statue.
Nike
Bastion
Nike
East
Facade
Nike East Frieze
Erectheion
• Housed older cults on the acropolis:
Erectheus, Athena Polias, Psoeidon,
Hephaistos, Boutos.
• Irregular plan due to terrain, multi-cult,
interruption of construction.
• Below the floor: Tomb of Kekrops,
legendary king of Athens.
• Caryatid Porch.
PLAN - ERECTHEION
Erectheion: Caryatid Porch
Erechtheion: Over view
North Porch