ANCIENT GREEK ARCHITECTURE

Dorian
Minoan Classical
Mycenaean The Dark
The Bronze Age
Age
INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION
• It could be called as the first democratic country
• The people of the Greek states were united by devotion to their religion, and by religious
festivals, as well as by their love of music, the drama, and the fine arts, and also by national
games, sports and contests.

• Athens under Pericles : Golden age

• Construction of Acropolis
•Mastered Proportion and Orders
 INTRODUCTION
• The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-
speaking people

• Culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in
colonies in Asia Minor and Italy.

• The history of the Ancient Greek civilization is divided into two eras, the Hellenic (900BC-
323BCand the Hellenistic(323BC-30AD

• Hellenic culture was spread widely, firstly throughout lands conquered by Alexander, and
then by the Roman Empire which absorbed much of Greek culture.
 INFLUENCES
ON
ARCHITECTURE
 GEOGRAPHY

 The mainland and islands of Greece are rocky, with deeply indented coastline, and

rugged mountain ranges with few substantial forests.

200px-Ac 255px-O_Partenon_de_Atenas

Theatres were often an enhancement of a Temples were placed on hilltops, their

naturally occurring sloping site where people exteriors designed as a visual focus of
could sit gatherings and processions
 CLIMATE
 The climate of Greece is maritime, with both the coldness of winter and the heat of
summer tempered by sea breezes.

 Colonnades encircling buildings, or surrounding courtyards provided shelter from the

sun and from sudden winter storms.

 The light is often extremely bright, with both the sky and the sea vividly blue.

 The gleaming marble surfaces were smooth, curved, fluted or ornately sculpted to
reflect the sun, cast graded shadows and change in colour with the ever-changing light
of day.
 GEOLOGY
 Limestone was readily available and easily worked.

 High Quality White Marble both on the mainland and islands, particularly Paros and Naxos.

 Marble: precision of detail, both architectural and sculptural, that adorned Ancient Greek
architecture.

 Deposits of High Quality Potter's Clay were found throughout Greece , the Islands and
Athens

 Used for pottery vessels, roof tiles and architectural decoration.

 RELIGION
 The religion of Ancient Greece was a form of Nature Worship

 Natural Elements Were Personified As Gods of completely human form, and very human
behavior

 The Home of The Gods was thought to be Olympus,

 Important deities were Zeus, Hera, Athena, Poseidon, Demeter, Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares,
Hermes, Hephaestus

 Worship, was done in community, in the open.

 by 600 BC, the gods were often represented by large statues and it was necessary to provide a
building to house them. This led to the development of temples.
 ART
 Sense of Proportion, Symmetry and Balance not apparent in similar pottery from Crete and
Mycenae.
168px-Boxers_Staatliche_Antikensammlungen_1541

 The Decoration is precisely geometric,

and ordered neatly into zones on
defined areas of each vessel.

 Influenced 6th century architecture.

 ART
 Nearly all surviving ancient Greek paintings occur on
pottery.
 The ancient Greeks painted the pottery within the scenes
from everyday life and from stories about their gods and
heroes.
 During late 600and 500 B. C. , they painted black figures
on naturally red pottery. This method was known as the
Black figure style.
 Around 530 b. c., Greeks developed the Red Figure Style. In
this , they painted the background in black and let the
natural red show through to form the figure.
 RELIGION
200px-Athena_Parthenos_LeQuire

 Their humanist philosophy

 Promoted well-ordered societies and the development of

democracy

 Temple architecture responds to,

 passion for beauty
 order and symmetry
 continual search for perfection
 SOCIAL STRUCTURE
 Independent states, called Polis, or city state.

 Greek Society: Free people and Slaves

 Slaves were servants and labour, without any legal rights.

 Free men were divided between Citizens and Metics.

 Citizen was born with Athenian parents

 A Metic was of foreign birth that had migrated to Athens, to either trade or practice a
craft.

 A metic had to pay taxes

 They could never achieve full rights of a Citizen neither could they own houses or land
and were not allowed to speak in law courts

 The social classes applied to men only, as women all took their social and legal status
from their husband or their male partner.
 CITY STATES

 Greece was divided into smaller city states called Polis

 There were app 1500 city states in Greece
 Reasons for formation of City States
 mountainous terrain, many isolated valleys, and numerous offshore islands
encouraged the formation of many local centers of power.
 The Mediterranean sea.
 The Greek aristocracy, who acted to prevent any permanent monarchies from
forming
 Major city states were Athens, Sparta, Delphi, Rhodes, Thebes and Corinth.
ARCHITECTURAL
CHARACTER
 EARLY DEVELOPMENT
 Open spaces or courtyards surrounded by colonnades.

 The Domestic Architecture walls of sun dried clay bricks or

wooden framework filled with straw or seaweed covered with clay
or plaster, on a base of stone

 Roofs of thatch

 many early houses had an open porch or "Pronaos" above which

rose a low pitched pediment.

 Since the Ancient Greeks did not have royalty, they did not
build palaces.

 The evolution that occurred in architecture was towards Public

Buildings
 ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
• They used the simplest construction methods – Post And Lintel
– trabeated system of construction.

• The column was given importance for both – Support And

Beauty

• Columns on the exterior obtaining splendid effects.

• There were two main orders: Doric and Ionic

• The 3rd order was Corinthian order.

• Each order is easily recognized by its Capital.

• The Columns of a temple support a structure that rises in two

main stages, the Entablature and the pediment.
 ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
• Finest Ashlar Masonry was usually employed for temple walls, in regular
courses and large sizes to minimize the joints

• Door and window Openings Were Spanned With A Lintel

• Temples were without windows

• In a Large Building, Columns To Support the Roof, the architectural

form being known as Hypostyle

• Stone Architecture

• Fired Ceramic Roof Tiles

 ARCHITECTURAL ORDERS
• An Order of Architecture is a set or rules or principles for
designing buildings
• Temples and important public buildings were constructed
according to three distinct Orders of Architecture
 STYLE
DORIC ORDER IONIC ORDER: CORINTHIAN ORDER:

1. This style was used in 1. This style was found in 1. The Corinthian style is
mainland Greece and Eastern Greece and seldom used in the Greek
the colonies in southern the islands. world, but fully developed and
Italy and Sicily. used by the Romans.
2. Ionic Column does not
2. Doric stands directly on stand directly on the 2. Greeks preferred simplicity
the Stylobate without Stylobate. and did not use it much.
individual base.
3. Each one has its 3. It was developed by the more
3. Consists of shaft which individual base. cosmopolitan citizens of
tapers towards the top. Corinth.
(in the middle, there is a 4. Consists of a shaft
that is more slender 4. Its capital is very elaborate
slight bulge called as
and has no Entasis. and decorated inspired by
Entasis.
Acanthus Foliage growing
around a baskets.
 STYLE

1. Usually fluted – 16 to 20 1. Usually fluted – 24 grooves

shallow grooves/ flutes.
2. Shaft ends in fillet – A Honeysuckle
Band around the necking.
2. Shaft ends in Necking –
made of horizontal grooves. 3. The capital is the transition from the shaft
to the entablature
3. The capital is the transition
from the shaft to the 4. Capital is composed of Echinus –
entablature. decorated with beads and reel.

4. The capital consists of 5. On this rests a band that ends on both

Echinus and Abacus. sides in scrolls called ‘volutes’.
6. Over this is A narrow abacus.

Shaft was not carved from a single stone. But built up of separate drums joined together
with wooden / metal pivots
 DECORATION
ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENT
 Early wooden structures, were ornamented by 225px-Gorgona_pushkin_edited

Fired And Painted Clay Revetments in the form

of rectangular panels, and ornamental discs

 The Clay Ornaments were limited to the roof

205px-Delphi_Museum2_edited

 Ionic cornices were Row Of Lion's Masks, with

open mouths that ejected rainwater

 In the Doric order, the sculpture is always located

at Metopes and the Pediment 205px-Erechtheion_-_frise

 In Ionic Architecture, there is Greater Diversity

 DECORATION
ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE
 had a profound effect on architecture throughout the ages.
 Perfection in Carving Statues of the Human Body both in
relief and in round, at rest and in motion.

 Earlier they used Wood, then limestone and Tufa(porous)

and then the marble – very suitable for carving.

 Other materials such as Clay were also used but due to their
brittle nature very few have survived. 108px-Zeus-Gany-sculpt1

 Metal (bronze) sculptures were also popular.

 Eg. Chryselephantine statues – these were hollow with inner

framework of iron and outer shell of wood. On this were laid
the plates of ivory covering the exposed parts of flesh and
finely beaten plates of gold covering the draped parts
 DECORATION
ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE
220px-Ac

ARCHAIC STYLE

 Nothing Realistic
 were characterised by Rigid
postures, conventional hair, bulging
eyes, deliberate folds.
 There was no control over facial
expressions.
 The upturn corners of the mouth
indicated smile which was called as
‘Archaic Smile’
 DECORATION
ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE
170px-East_frieze_34-35_Parthenon_BM

PRECLASSICAL STYLE

 The hair became more

Natural
 The Erect Posture
prevailed.
 The Body Became More
220px-Erechtheion_detail

Lively –
 The facial expressions and
emotions were generalized
 DECORATION
ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE

CLASSICAL STYLE

 This time the sculptures expressed

more personal emotions, and
peculiarities

 Sad expressions were obtained by

deep set eyes and upturn gaze

 They reveal mastery in the portrayal

of deep feelings and passion

 They featured more grace of youth by

curved body and also violent
movements.
TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK TEMPLE
600px-Greek_temples
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES
PARTS OF ANCIENT GREEK TEMPLE

1. Tympanum 220px-Doric

2. Acroterium Pediment
3. Sima
4. Cornice
5. Mutules Entablature
7. Frieze
8. Triglyph
9. Metope
10. Regula
11. Gutta
12. Tania
Column
13. Architrave
14. Capital
15. Abacus
16. Echinus
17. Column
18. Fluting Steps
19. Stylobate
 Temples served as the location of a cult image and as a
storage place or strong room for the treasury
associated with the cult of the god in question

 A place for devotees of the god to leave their offerings

 There was no need to house the worshippers as the

functions took place in the open air

 Hence the Temple Planning was simple – rectangular

room called Cella, without windows, only one door in the
front
 Fronted by Portico
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK ACROPOLIS

 Acropolis in Greek means ‘The Sacred

Rock, the high city’

 The Acropolis of Athens is known as

'The Acropolis‘

 Area –approx. 4 hectares

 The rulers stayed on the hills for

defensive purpose

 Temples And Public Buildings

 By 1200 BC Athenians had erected a

wall around the Acropolis
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK ACROPOLIS

 The other buildings include Propylea, Erectheum and Parthenon

 On S-E, is the Theatre of Dionysus, where the dramas were

staged. This theatre could accommodate 15000 spectators

 On S-W, is the Odeion, Theatre that accommodated5000

spectators

 On N- W, was the Agora, the market place of ancient Athens

 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
PARTHENON

 Built on the Athenian Acropolis, in

300px-Parthenon-2008_entzerrt

447 BC
 Pericles : To show the wealth and
exuberance of Athenian power

 dedicated to Athena
 Rectangular Peripteral plan- both
Cellas are Prostyle
 At the top step,
 69.5 meters by 30.9 meters (228.0 x 101.4 ft)
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
PARTHENON
 Temple is designed in Octastyle -  The shafts have slight convexity or
i.e., 8 columns in front and back Entasis with upward taper
which lean inward  The temple is constructed facing
 Diameter of intermediate columns is east
1.88m  The statue of Athena is kept in
 Diameter of corner columns is1.9m Naos 30m x 19m
 All columns are 10.4 m high and are  The statue measured 13 m with its
of Doric order pedestal
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
PARTHENON
 The entablature supported on
columns is about 3.4 m high
 The pediment is inclined at 13-30
deg had a floral decoration
 The tympanum in the pediment is
fully enriched with fine sculptures in
bright colours
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
PARTHENON
 It curves up in the middle of all 4 sides
176px-Opticorr

 Stylobate curves upward

 66mm on the shorter side
 110mm on the longer sides.

 The columns at the ends of the building are

not vertical but are inclined towards the
centre, with those at the corners being out
of plumb by about 66mm

 outer columns are slightly wider than their

neighbors and slightly closer than any of the
others.
 OPTICAL CORRECTIONS:
REFINEMENTS
 Floors swell up slightly, not only to shed
rainwater but also to push back against the
weight of the superstructure
 Columns lean in slightly
 Walls lean inward, but the Frieze leans
outward
 Corner columns that would otherwise seem 176px-Opticorr

naked and lonely stand a little closer to their

neighbors.
 Columns do not taper smoothly towards
the top, but swell slightly below the middle
so that they seem to have parallel sides
(Entasis)
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK THEATERS
 These are open air structures containing
Orchestra, Auditorium and Skene
 Constructed from the slopes of the
hillside
 Orchestra was circular in plan slightly
raised
 Seats for audience

 It was divided into wedge shaped blocks

‘Cunei’ by radiating flight of steps to
allow the spectators to reach their seats
from ground level
 The no of Cunei was increased in the
upper part due to large radius
 A horizontal path called ‘Diazoma’ was
generally provided at some interval and
above it
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK STADIUM
 All the Greek games were celebrated at stadiums
 The oldest stadium is at Olympia
 Only pure Greek descent were allowed to participate
 Rows of seats were raised on either side for the spectator
 The stadium at Athens accommodated 50000 spectators
200px-Epidauros-Stadion-1

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 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK HOUSES

 In ancient Greece houses were

designed to keep people cool in the
long hot summers and to hold the heat
in winters
 Men and women kept different parts
of the house
 A typical house consisted of Andron,
Gynaikon, Store Room, Bed rooms,
Slaves Rooms, Bathroom and a Work
Place
 Walls were of sun dried clay bricks or
wooden framework filled with fibrous
material such as straw or seaweed
covered with clay or plaster, on a Base
Of Stone
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK AGORA

 "Place Of Assembly".

 Citizens would gather in the Agora for military duty or to

hear statements of the ruling king or council.
 Later, the Agora also served as a Marketplace where
merchants kept stalls or shops to sell their goods amid
colonnades.
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK STOA
 Covered Walkways or porticos, commonly
for public usage.
 Early Stoae were open at the entrance with
columns, usually of the Doric order, lining the
side of the building
 Later examples were built as two stories, with
a roof supporting the inner colonnades
where shops or sometimes offices were
located.
 They followed Ionic Architecture.
 These buildings were open to the public;
merchants could sell their goods, artists
could display their artwork, and religious
gatherings could take place.
 Stoae usually surrounded the marketplaces
of large cities.
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK PROPYLAEA

 These are the Entrance Gates and

formed the approach to the sacred
enclosures in many cities
 Propylea at Athens forms an imposing
gateway to the acropolis
 Everything about it is intended to lead the
spectator in a direction, to shape his views,
and to change his attitudes
 It’s beautiful colonnades were built on
different levels.
 At both levels – lowest and highest, the
entrance porticoes were in Doric style.
Interior path was bordered with ionic
columns.
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK PALESTRA

 This was used as Wrestling School

or a Sports Center

 The architecture of the palaestra had

A Standard Plan

 consisted of a rectangular court

surrounded by colonnades with
adjoining rooms 225px-Olympia_Palaestra_2010

 These rooms might house a variety of

functions as bathing, ball playing,
undressing and storage of clothes,
seating for socializing, observation, or
instruction, and storage of oil, dust or
athletic equipment.
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK HIPPODROME
 Greek stadium for Horse racing and chariot
racing.

 ten or more contended in the Greek games, so

that the width was about 400 ft (120 m), the
course being 600 to 700 ft (210 m). long.

 The slope of a hill, and the ground taken from

one side served to form the embankment on the
other side.
 One end was semicircular, and the other end
square with an extensive portico with were the
stalls for the horses and chariots.

 At both ends of the hippodrome there were

posts (termai) that the chariots turned around.
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK PRYTANEION

 Seat of the Prytaneis (executive), and so the

seat of government

 The term is used to describe any of a range of

ancient structures where officials met (normally
relating to the government of a city)

 The Prytaneion normally stood in centre of the

city, in the agora.

 The building contained the holy fire of Hestia,

the goddess of the hearth, and symbol of the
life of the
 TYPES OF BUILDINGS
ANCIENT GREEK ODEON

 Odeon is the name for several ancient

Greek buildings built for singing exercises,
musical shows and poetry competitions.
 They were generally small in size, especially
compared with a full-size ancient Greek
theatre
 The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone
theatre structure located on the south slope
of the Acropolis of Athens
 steep-sloped amphitheater with a three-story
stone front wall and a wooden roof
 a capacity of 5,000.
 GLOSSARY
1. ACROPOLIS: Sacred Rock/ High City

2. STOA: Covered Walkways

3. AGORA: Place Of Assembly/ Market Place

4. PALESTRA: Wrestling School

5. HIPPODROME: Stadium For Horse Racing Or Chariot Racing

6. PRYTANEION: Seat Of The Executive

7. ODEON: Small theater For Musical Shows

8. PROPYLAEA: Entrance Gate

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ground/9b_p1.html