What You Need To Know About Ancient Greek Architecture

Greek architecture became much promising only after Greece prospered during the 7th century BC. However, as noted by Krysta Cardinale, an expert in ancient Greek architecture, early Greek structures were too fickle. They were made out of mud and wood, which were undeniably too fragile to withstand the passage of centuries. As such, most of today’s knowledge on Greek architecture was only derived from the structures which survived the Hellenistic and Roman era.

The major architecture orders

Basically, the architectural styles that became popular during the Classical Greek period are divided into three major orders – Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Each of these orders has different characteristics used in temple structures and column designs.

Doric Order: This is considered as the basic ancient Greek architecture which was popularized by the Spartans. In its early forms, Doric order houses made use of wooden shafts. However, recent developments in construction introduced the use of stronger materials such as stone. For the roofs, the Spartans use a variety of thatch, terra-cotta, and marble. Temples under the Doric order have similar layouts as those that fall under the Ionic order.

Ionic Order: Ionic order temples were regarded as “developed” Doric designs. They had slender columns which were typically eight to nine meters high instead of the usual four to five meters. Unlike the Doric temples, Ionic structures also have molded bases where sculptures are often placed. As for the upper part of the columns, they had rectangular stone blocks with line engravings.

Corinthian Order: Temples that are classified under the Corinthian order were far more “decorative” as compared to the other two. Aside from the lines, Corinthian columns had more elaborate engravings. The bases often appear sculpted and carved with various fancy impressions.