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Greek Architecture

During the Greek classical architecture period which dated from c. 700-146 BC., there were three different styles or orders of architecture that were most commonly seen in temples. These were the Doric order, the Ionic order, and the Corinthian order. The orders can be also distinguished by the different appearances of the columns. The columns of the Greek Classical Architecture Period were almost always used for temples of the Greek gods or goddesses. If they were not used for a temple, then they were used in a very wealthy person’s home. Although the styles of these columns differed, they had several things in common. Some of these things are the structure of the column, the flutes, and that they were all made out of stone.

The Doric order was the earliest, strongest, and most basic order. It dated from c. 700-500 BC. It was begun by the Dorians after their coming to Greece. Although their arrival led to a period of Greek decline, they contributed to the Greek culture, especially in their style of architecture. The first Doric columns were made out of wood. That was later changed to stone. The Doric column had no base; it just sat right on the floor. It usually had 20 flutes. At the top of the column, there was a capital that was made up of a square block under an architrave. The architrave was decorated with triglyphs and metopes. The Doric style worked better horizontally on buildings, which in turn worked well for the Greeks, because they built long magnificent rectangular buildings. A good example of a Doric style structure is the Parthenon in Athens. The second order, the Ionic order, dated from c. 500-400 BC. It could be said that the Ionic order blended the most basic order with the most intricate order. In Ionic temples, the columns had a small base to stand on, instead of resting on the floor like Doric columns. The Ionic columns also had 24 flutes; 4 more than the Doric columns did. At the top of the column on the architrave, there is a continuous frieze were the triglyphs and metopes would be on a Doric column. The Ionic shafts also had an entasis, which is a little bulge in the columns that make the columns look straight. Since one would see the building from eye level, the shafts would appear to get narrower as they rise, so this bulge makes up for that. It ends up looking straight, even though it really is not. The Ionic order was first begun by the Ionian Greeks in Ionia; the coastline and islands off Asia Minor. The Ionic capital is decorated with whelk shells rams’ horns, and other spiral shapes found in nature. One of the most famous Ionic buildings in the world is the Temple of Athena Nike in Athens.

The Corinthian order, the last order, was hardly ever used by the Greeks. The reason being, that it was so complicated and elaborate. However, two examples of the Corinthian order are the Choragic monument and the Tower of the Winds, both in Athens. This column also has 24 flutes, but it is thinner than the Ionic columns. Unlike the Doric and Ionic roofs, the Corinthian roofs are flat. The Corinthian order was used mostly by the Romans, after their invasion of Greece in 146 BC. There are Corinthian columns on the Coliseum in Rome. The Corinthian order was said to have been invented by the architect Callimachus, who was inspired by the sight of a basket that had been placed on a grave of a young girl. Several of her toys were in the basket, and a tile had been placed over the basket, to protect the toys from the weather, while an acanthus plant had grown through the basket. If one were to look at a Corinthian style column today, they would find that the column resembles a basket with a tile over it, intertwined with acanthus leaves. Although it is the most sophisticated order, it is the order that most modern people like. It probably also signifies splendor or greatness. For example, Corinthian columns were used in the extending of the U. S. Capitol in 1854.

A good example of all three styles of architecture is found in the design of the Temple of Apollo at Bassai. Whether or not the architect, Ictinus, planned it this way, the temple reflects how often each order was used. There are forty Doric columns, eight Ionic columns, and a single Corinthian column which is situated in the inner room of the temple. In the Greek Classical Architecture Period, the Doric order was most commonly used, followed by the Ionic order, and with the Corinthian order sparsely utilized.

Greek architecture is a blend of style from several cultures. It has influenced building designs of Europe and America throughout the ages, and it continues to affect the kinds of construction we see today in buildings of grandeur.