Greek Arch Full

Greek civilzation
What do we expect to learn from the

civilization?
Stone construction and decoration
The introduction of Proportion in Architecture
The introduction of the classical orders of
architecture
Greek architecture of temples and civic
buildings
Principles of Greek city Planning and Design
Ancient Greek Architecture
Historical Background
Location
Greek civilization occurred
in the area around the
Greek mainland, on a
peninsula that extends into
the Mediterranean Sea
It started in cities on the
Greek mainland and on
islands in the Aegean Sea
Towards the later or
Hellenistic period, Greek
civilization spread to other
far away places including
Asia Minor and Northern
Africa
Location
Most of the Greek
mainland was rocky and
barren and therefore bad
for agriculture
Most Greeks therefore
lived along the coastline or
on islands where the soil
was good for farming
The Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas
provided a means of
communication and trade
with other places
Sumerian Civilization 12000 B.C. to 3000 B.C.
Egyptian Civilization Second Millennium B.C.
Greek Civilization 2000 B.C. to 300 B.C.
Time line of Classical Greece

2000 B.C. to 300 B.C.
Period
The period of ancient Greek history can
be divided into four as follows:
1100 B. C. 750 B. C. Greek Dark Ages
750 B. C. 500 B. C. Archaic Period
5000 B. C. 323 B. C. Classical Period
323 B. C. 147 B. C. Hellenistic Period
The classical and archaic period are
sometimes collectively referred to as
Hellenic period
Period
Greek Dark Ages (1100-750 BC)
The Mycenaean people were Greek in Origin
Greek civilization is therefore usually viewed as a
continuation of the Mycenaean civilization
The start of the Greek civilization is therefore
dated to the end of the Mycenaean civilization in
1100BC
Following the decline of Mycenae, the area
around the Greek mainland went into a period of
decline that is referred to as the Greek Dark ages
Period
Greece became depopulated with groups of
people moving out of mainland Greece
towards the islands of the Aegean
Mycenaean and Greek culture dwindled and
many cultural elements including writing, art
and architectural techniques were lost
Trade with Asia Minor, the Middle East and
Egypt, which was at the root of Cretan
prosperity stopped entirely
Period
As Greek people migrated from the mainland, other
people from other less prosperous mountain regions
of the north migrated to the more fertile coastline
regions
They invade the Greek mainland villages and
established their rule
The northerners brought with them a Greek dialect
called Dorian, as opposed to the Ionic Greek spoken
by the main settlers
The two dialects and cultures later mixed together to
create a Hellenic culture, which is at the root of
ancient Greek civilization
Period
These two dialects became equated with
characteristic architectural forms that evolved
in them
In the period following the invasion by the
Dorians, there was a shift in lifestyle that
produced a sedentary agricultural lifestyle and
society.
Sedentary lifestyle allowed the Greeks to
rediscover urbanized culture that ultimately
led to evolution of classical Greek culture
Period
Archaic Period (750 - 500 BC)
The revival of Greece from the dark ages
started during the eight century BC
The Greeks developed a new political form
called city states
City states are cities which are ruled as
independent nations
The archaic period saw the renewal interest in
overseas trading contact
Period
Greek societies that were engaged in trade
became rich and by joining with other their
neighbors, sometimes forcefully, formed large
states
The polis or city state emerged as the natural
and desirable political entity
Early examples of these city states include
Athens, Corinth, Argos, and Sparta on the
mainland, and in the Eastern Aegean, Samos,
Chios, Smyrna, Ephesus and Miletus
Period
The archaic period marked the rise of the aristocratic
families; families that are considered noble or of
higher status
The archaic period was dominated politically by the
leading aristocratic families in each city state acting in
concert or squabbling amongst themselves for
supremacy
At times individual aristocrats were able to take
advantage of popular dissatisfaction to seize
authoritarian power
Such rulers were called tyrants
Period
Such tyrants stimulated the development of
the arts through their patronage
The archaic period marked the beginnings of
Greek monumental stone sculpture and
architecture
Around 546 BC, the rising Persian Empire
conquered some Greek city states
The rising threat of the Persian Empire
marked the end of the Greek archaic period
and of classical Greek culture
Period
Classical period (500 - 323 BC)
The Classical period of ancient Greek history
occurred between 500 BC, and 323 BC.
The period started with the Greek city states
coming into conflict with the rising Persian
Empire
The free Greek cities saw the threat that was
developing from the Persian Empire and
prepared for resistance
A seaborne expedition by the Persians to
Athens was defeated at Marathon in 490 BC
Period
Under the Persian King Xerxes, Persia attempted a
retribution in 479 BC and was defeated by an alliance
of the Greek states headed by Sparta
The Greek alliance soon transformed into an Empire
under the leadership of Athens
Pericles, the ruler of Athens between 444 and 429 BC
became a driving force for the development of temple
architecture
Pericles used the defense revenue from the alliance
for temple building in Athens to thank the Gods
Period
Athens reached its greatest political and cultural
heights during the classical period
The full development of the democratic system of
government occurred under Pericles
The Parthenon on the Acropolis at Athens was built
Philosophical schools such as those of Socrates and
Plato were founded
Between 431 and 404, Athens entered into a series of
wars with Sparta which left it in ruins
The fall of Athens gradually led to political chaos in
the whole of Greece
The 4th century saw the rise of Macedonia as a
power in the region
Period
The Macedonian king, Philip rapidly extended
Macedonian power and wealth
In 338 BC, he defeated a coalition of the
major Greek Cities including Athens and
Thebes, and created a federation of all
Greeks with him as the leader
He proposed a crusade against the Persians
but was assassinated before undertaking it
Period
His son Alexander undertook the crusade and
established himself as the ruler of the former
Persian empire
Alexander undertook a lot of military
campaigns to extend the Greek empire and
founded many new cities such as Alexandria
in Egypt
He died in 323 BC without a heir to inherit him
The Death of Alexander marked the end of
the classical period of Greece civilization
Period
Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)
The Hellenistic period of ancient Greek
civilization started with the death of Alexander
in 323 BC
When Alexander died, he did not have a heir
to inherit him
The Greek empire split into smaller states
with Alexanders generals as their rulers
Period
Hellenistic period (323 - 147 BC)
The period saw the transplanting of Greek art,
civic life and culture to newly conquered areas
The period also saw a marked increase in
interest in civic buildings
The Hellenistic period ended in 147 BC, when
the Roman Empire conquered Greece and
incorporated the city states into it
Social Characteristics & Beliefs
Introduction
Greek civilization is the first major civilization in Europe
Greek civilization along with the Roman civilization are
said to be at the root of current western civilization
They two are referred to as classical cultures because
of their recognition as the root of western civilization
Greek and Roman architecture are also referred to as
classical architecture
Greek civilization started with the mingling of two Greek
cultures, the Dorian and the Ionian to create a single
Hellenic culture
The two developed a sedentary agricultural and
commercial society that ultimately gave birth to the
concept of the city state
Societal Organization- The city state
The ancient Greeks lived in self governing city-states
called "polis."
The city-states were small, independent communities
which were male-dominated and bound together by
race.
The ancient Greek world was made up of hundreds of
these independent city states
The polis started as a defensible area to which
farmers of an area could retreat in the event of an
attack as in the Mycenaean citadels
Over time, towns grew around these defensible
areas.
Every polis was different from another, even though
there were similarities between them
They were all bounded by common language and
religious beliefs
They all made efforts to preserve their own unique
identity, and each city state believed that their state
was better than all the other states
The city states often fought with one another.
The city state of Athens on the Greek mainland was
among the most famous and powerful of the city
states
It was a major center for learning and the arts.
When city-states were first formed, they were ruled by
a few wealthy men.
However, they gradually moved towards democracy.
Athens developed an early form of democracy
How did they make laws? Only men who were born in
Athens were allowed to vote.
They did this at public assemblies where upper class
citizens discussed and adopted laws that might
benefit Athens.
Social Organization And Responsibility
The scale of the polis was small.
The philosophers Aristotle and Plato believed that the
polis should be of a small size, so that members know
each other personally
The ideal size of a city state was fixed at 5040 males
by Plato
Citizens in any polis were related by blood and so
family ties were very strong.
Membership of the polis was hereditary and could not
be passed to persons outside the family
Social Organization And Responsibility
The society of the polis had a social hierarchy with
citizens at the top, followed by people who are not
citizens and finally slaves
Public life was for male citizens while women were
secluded in the house
Greek citizens did not have rights but duties
All citizens were directly involved in politics, justice,
military service, religious ceremonies, intellectual
discussion, athletics and artistic pursuits.
It was not acceptable for Greek citizens to refuse to
carryout their responsibilities
Religious Belief
The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, believing in
many different gods and goddesses
The God were regarded as all powerful but similar to
human beings in their passions, desires and appetite
All aspect of life was under the protection of the gods,
and they controlled everything, from the waves in the
ocean to the winner of a race.
All the gods and goddesses had specific roles,
controlling one or two major aspects of life
Zeus was, for example, the supreme leader of the
gods, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, and
Poseidon was the god of the sea
Religious Belief
The essential concept in religious practice was that of
contract, of obligation and the paying of obligation
Humans call on the gods for protection and make
offerings to the gods to secure this
Ancient Greeks believed that religion would make
their lives better while they were living.
They also believed that the gods would take care of
them when they died.
Religious belief was constantly changing and
developing as new cults were introduced from time to
time
Place of Worship
Temples were the focus of Greek religious worships
Temples were usually built in the cities of the Gods
called Acropolis
Temples were built in every town and city for one or
more god or goddess
The temples were considered as offerings to the gods
Each community was therefore under pressure to
make them beautiful as possible
Place of Worship
The temples were also considered as the house of
the gods
They were not designed for functional use
They usually consist of a large open hall called
sanctuary where the statue of the god to whom it is
dedicated is kept
The temples were the places for routine festivals to
the gods
The festivals included plays, music, dancing, and then
a parade to the temple where they made sacrifices
and had a feast.
Animals were usually sacrificed as a gift to the gods
Architecture in service of religion
Architecture in Greece Started in the Service of
Religions
Temples were the abode of gods
The Greeks regarded beauty as an attribute of the
gods and the conscious pursuit of beauty as a
religious exercise.
The most important task for architects was how to
make the temple beautiful
The search for ways to express architectural beauty
made the Greek civilization among the first to have
established ideals of beauty

The Greeks convinced themselves that the secrets of
beauty lie in proportions
Man was viewed by the Greeks as having the most
ideal proportions and is the measure of all things
Greek developed a system of building proportion that
reflected those of the human body
With time, they refined their system of building
proportion, and developed the classical Greek orders
which we will soon explore
The principal building material of the ancient
Greeks was stone
Clay and timber were also used
Timber was used mostly for roofing and its
scarcity coupled with limitations in its length
imposed restrictions on the width of buildings
Temples were the main building type and it
was used as a decoration element by every
city
Greek society also made buildings other than temples
These evolved in response to changes in need with
time
The most common buildings are amphitheaters,
council halls, public fountains and theatres, gymnasia,
schools and libraries, public baths and lavatories
As these civic buildings emerge, treatment once
reserved for temple was extended to them even
though on a less grander scale than in the temples
Greek construction was of a simple post and lintel or
trabeated construction
Their ground plans were always very simple, usually
rectangular
With a combination of simple ground plans and
trabeated construction, they were able to create
amazing buildings
Buildings were constructed by skilled craftsmen who
were in demand and traveled from one state to the
other for construction work
Designs were done on the ground by measuring out
the foundation
Blocks of stone were ordered from the quarry
Blocks were given initial preparation on the building
site
Blocks were large and retained in position by their
own weight; it was not necessary to fix them together
in any way
Roofs were of wood beams and rafters cut to square
shapes with tile roof
Carvings and other decorative work were finished
when the building is completed
Other Activities and Achievements
Greek society contributed to the earliest development
of science and scientific inquiry
Greeks attempted to explain the world through the
laws of nature.
Greeks found out that the earth was round and A
Greek person is credited as being the first to measure
the circumference of the Earth
The Greeks also made significant contributions to the
arts, particularly in sculpture and painting
Other Activities and Achievements
They wrote many stories and plays that continue to
be performed today.
The ancient Greeks were huge sports fans and sports
was considered a part of religion
Every four years, the Greeks held the Olympic Games
in the stadium at Olympia.
The best athletes in Greece competed in different
events
Because the games were religious, anyone who was
caught cheating during the games was never allowed
to compete again
Outline of Lecture
Architecture of the Civilization
Greek Orders
Temple Architecture
Civic Architecture
The Orders
Introduction
Refer to the entire set of form
that makes up the principal
elevation of a temple.
Composed of a base, an
upright column or support with
its capital, and the horizontal
entablature.
All the parts of an order are
proportionally derived from the
size of the base of the column.
It determines all aspects of the
elevation of a building
including its shape and the
arrangement and proportion of
its parts
The Orders
Introduction
Greeks are credited with
originating the three orders
of the classical language of
architecture, Doric, Ionic
and Corinthian.
Columns were understood
by the Greeks to be
anthropomorphic or
representative of the body
of a human
The base suggests the feet,
the shaft the torso and the
capital the head.
The Orders
Introduction
Each order had its own
conventions about the
design of the entablature
The entablature is divided
into three sections; the
cornices, the frieze and the
architrave
According the rules of
classical architecture, the
entablature should always
be divisible into these
three zones
The Orders
Doric Order
The Doric order was the
earliest to be developed
By the 6th century, a set of
universal proportions for the
Doric temple had been
developed.
The Doric order is made up of
three elements; stylobate,
Column and entablature
The stylobate is a podium
raised three steps on which
the temple sits
The Doric column is further
divided into the shaft and a
square capital
The Orders
Doric Order
It had a height of between 5
and 6 times its diameter.
The shaft is tapered and made
to bulge slightly to provide
correction for optical illusion.
The shaft is usually divided
into 20 shallow flutes.
The entablature is divided into
an architrave, a frieze and the
cornice.
The Doric column represents
the proportions of a mans
body, its strength and beauty.
Doric Order
Entasis
A characteristic of the Doric order is
the use of entasis
Entasis refers to the practice of
optical correction in Greek Doric
temples
All buildings are arranged with a
slight curve to correct for optical
illusion when they are viewed
This is done to counteract the
concave appearance produced by
straight edges in perspective
The shaft of the column is built to be
slightly convex in shape for optical
correction
Columns were also built with a slight
tilt
Doric Order
Entasis
The drawing to the right explains
entasis
Diagram one on top shows how the
ancient Greeks wanted the temple to
appear
If the temple is built without correction,
then diagram two shows how it would
actually appear
To ensure that it appears correctly as
desired in one, the Greeks introduced
the distortions shown in diagram three
The application of entasis is an
expression of the desire for perfection
by Greek architects
The best example of the application of
entasis is found in the Parthenon
The Orders
Ionic Order
The Ionic order evolved and took
its name from Ionia in modern
day Turkey
The ionic column including the
capital and base had a height of
9 to 10times its diameter
It had 24 flutes, which is more
than that of the Doric column,
even though it is smaller in
diameter.
The flutes were rounded at the
top and bottom.
The Orders
Ionic Order
The Ionic order had a capital
developed from a pair of volute
about two-thirds the diameter of
the column in height
Ornaments are used to decorate
the area between the capital and
the volute
The Ionic column has a base
One of the limitations of the Ionic
order is that it is designed to be
seen from the front only
The Orders
Ionic Order
At the corner of
rectangular buildings, an
angular volute had to be
used.
Entasis was not applied
to the ionic column
The Ionic column is said
to represent the shape
of a women with its
delicacy and feminine
slenderness.
The Orders
Corinthian Order
The Corinthian order takes
its name from the city of
Corinth in Greece
It however appeared to have
been developed in Athens in
the 5th century BC
This order is similar in its
proportions to the Ionic order
but has a different capital
The core of the capital is
shaped like an inverted bel.
The bell-like capital is
decorated with rows of
carved acanthus leaves
The Orders
Corinthian Order
The rich decorative effect of the
Corinthian capital made it
attractive.
Because of its symmetry, the
Corinthian capital unlike the
ionic capital is designed to be
seen from all directions
The Corinthian column, the
most beautifully ornate of the
three orders represents the
figure of a maiden
This order was not extensively
used during the Greek period
It became popular during the
ancient Roman period
The Orders
Column Construction
Do you wonder how the
columns of the Greek
orders were constructed?
Each column was made
up of several drums of
marble
They were held together
by a stone peg in the
center
The stones were
assembled and put
together in their rough
form
The Orders
Column Construction
The capital was also
carved out
After they were put
together, the grooves
called flutes were cut
up and down the
shaft of the column
and all around it
This gave the column
its slim and elegant
look
Temple Architecture
Introduction
The most important Greek
building was the temple
The temple had the finest
building materials and the
richest decoration.
It was also the most complex of
architectural form.
It was designed not to hold
worshippers, but as symbolic
dwelling of the gods
The temple is usually
rectangular in plan
It is lifted on a podium, and in
plan has colonnades on all its
external sides
Temple Architecture; Introduction
Colonnades define a portico around the temple
The temple building is made up of four walls enclosing a
rectangular space called the naos or sanctuary
This was the house of the god to whom the temple is

dedicated
The interior rectangular space of the naos is framed by a

pair of colonnades on the long side creating a central
processional space
At the head of the processional space is the statue of the

god to whom the temple is dedicated
The temple interior was generally dark, with only the

entrance as a source of light
Greek temples are often categorized in terms of their ground plan and
the way in which the columns are arranged.
A prostyle temple is a temple that has columns only at the front, while
an amphiprostyle temple has columns at the front and the rear.
Temples with a peripteral
arrangement (from the Greek
meaning "wing) have a single
line of columns arranged all
around the exterior of the temple
building.
Dipteral temples simply have a double row
of columns surrounding the building.
One of the more unusual plans is
the tholos, a temple with a circular
ground plan; famous examples are
attested at the sanctuary of Apollo
in Delphi and the sanctuary of
Asclepius at Epidauros.
The number of columns is always
even to allow the location of the
entrance in the center; temples
with odd number of columns are
uncommon
Temples with 2 columns in front
are diastyle, 4-tetrastyle, 6-
hexastyle, 8-octastyle and 10-
decastyle
Greek temples usually have twice
the number of columns in front
plus one by the side; A hexastyle
temple =six columns in front &
thirteen on side
The temple always faced east so
that the rising sun would light the
statues inside
Temples were designed to be
admired from the outside rather
than used
The Greek temple is believed to
originate from the Mycenaean
megaron
From the megaron, it went
through several stages of
evolution as shown in the
diagram
By 500 BC, the final form of the
Greek temple had emerged
Temple Architecture
Doric Temple
The Doric temple is based
on the Doric order
Both the Doric order and
temple went through a
simultaneous process of
evolution
The Basilica at Paestum
550 BC is an example of
early Doric temple
It was built during the
archaic period of Greek
civilization
Temple Architecture
Doric Temple
The columns on the front
are 9, while on the sides
they are 18
The Doric columns appear
heavy in comparison with
later temples
The columns have a bulge,
pointing to the practice of
optical correction or
entasis by the time of its
construction
The capitals are also huge,
heavy and very wide
Doric Temple
Temple of Aphaia at Aegina
The Temple of Aphaia at
Aegina 490 BC is a later
temple than the Basilica
at Paestum
Temple of Aphaia is
much less heavy than
Paestum
The entablature is less
thick
The columns are slimmer
with less entasis or bulge
The capitals are also
smaller
Doric Temple
Temple of Aphaia at Aegina
This temple is hexastyle but
has only 12 flanking columns-
early temple
The interior columns are
divided into a row of two
columns separated by an
architrave
This allowed the designers to
avoid using columns with a
large diameter
The temple has triangular
pediment on n the Eastern
and Western sides decorated
with stories from Greek myths
Doric Temples
Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum
The Temple of Hera Argiva
(or Neptune) at Paestum
460 BC was built later than
the Temple of Aphaia
It is one of the best
preserved of all Greek
temples
It is more mature in its
proportions than all the
others examined
The columns are 8.8 meters
high and about 4.3 times
their lower diameter
Doric Temples
Temple of Hera Argiva at Paestum
The temple is hexastyle but
with 24 columns on its flank
It also has a double row of
columns in the interior, and
divided into two separated
by a stone architrave
The most perfect of the
Doric temples is the
Parthenon; We will examine
this temple later
Ionic Temples
Introduction
Ionic temples were built using
the Ionic order
The most famous of the Ionic
temples is the temple of
Artemis at Ephesus
It was considered one of the
seven wonders of the ancient
World
It was commissioned by
Alexander the Great and was
believed to have been built
and destroyed several times
Unfortunately the temple has
not survived to the present
time
Ionic Temples
Introduction
There are also
uncertainties about its
arrangement in plan
The temple stands on a
platform 2.7 meters high
It had 36 columns in its
front and they had an
additional relief sculpture
at the base
The best surviving Ionic
temples is the Temple of
Athena located at the
Acropolis at Athens
Corinthian Temples
Introduction
The Corinthian order was not
widely used during the Greek
period
Earliest known example is
inside the 5th century
Temple of Apollo at Bassae.
The temple of Olympian
Zeus in Athens was in the
Corinthian order
The column was constructed
in 131 A.D. well after the
Roman conquest of Greece
The Corinthian order became
very popular during the
Roman period.
Civic Architecture
Introduction
During the Hellenistic period Greeks became
very fascinated by civic buildings
Treatments once reserved for temples and the
gods, were gradually extended to civic and
government buildings.
The Agora or market place also became very
important in Greek cities.
The theater and council chamber are
examples of civic buildings found in every Greek
city
Greek Theatre
Why did it take from 2000 BC until 534 BC
for civilization to go from Passion Plays
to Theatre?
The belief in the ability of human beings to
make significant decisions contrasted
sharply with the beliefs of earlier societies
that people are pawns of supernatural
forces
Democracy, democracy, democracy!!!

Civic Architecture
Theaters Theater Epidarus
The Greeks invented
the theater design that
is still used in movies
and auditoriums today
Every important Greek
city had a theater
Their theater was built
into a hilly landscape
The theater had a bank
of seats steps created
from the landscape
Civic Architecture
Theaters Theater Epidarus
The theater had a bank
of seats steps created
from the landscape
It would usually
commands a view to the
landscape
The image shown is of
theater Epidaurus
This was the largest
theater in ancient
Greece
It is still in use today
The theatre of ancient greece: The
Origins Of Drama
The dithyrambs (choral song and dance)
thespis
The City Dionysia Festival
'City Dionysia', a festival of entertainment held
in honor of the god Dionysus.
music, singing, dance and poetry.
three tragedies, or a trilogy.
satyr plays
Communal Involvement
The entire city would be in attendance.
All other businesses not directly

involved with the 6-day festival
would shut down, so that everyone
could attend.
The government even offered
financial assistance to those who
could not afford to attend.
The
Theatre
of
Dionysus
The first plays were performed in the Theatre of

Dionysus, built in the shadow of the Acropolis in
Athens at the beginning of the 5th century,
These theatres proved to be so popular

they soon spread all over Greece.
Amphitheatres
Plays were performed out-of-doors.

The side of the mountain was scooped out
into a bowl shape, something like our
amphitheatres today, and tiers of stone
seats in concentric semi-circles were built
on the hill.
These theatres often seated as many as
20,000 spectators, with a special first row
being reserved for dignitaries.
Theatron
The theatron (literally, "viewing-place") is
where the spectators sat. The theatron was
usually part of hillside overlooking the
orchestra, and often wrapped around a large
portion of the orchestra.
Orchestra
The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was
normally
circular. It was
a level space
where the chorus
would dance, sing,
and interact with
the actors who were on the stage (called the
Proskenion) in front of the skene. In the center of
the orchestra there was often an altar.
Skene
The skene (literally,
"tent") was the building
directly in back of the
stage, and was usually
decorated as a palace,
temple, or other building,
depending on the needs
of the play. It had at least
one set of doors, and
actors could make
entrances and exits
through them.
Parados
The parodoi (literally, "passageways") are the
paths by which the chorus and some actors (such
as those representing messengers or people
returning from abroad) made their entrances and
exits.
The Actors
All of the actors were men. Women
were not allowed to participate.
The actors played multiple

roles, so a wooden, cork, or
linen mask was used to show
the change in character or
mood.
If playing a female role, the
male actor had a special
female costume that he would
wear
The Chorus
Because of the dithyrambic origins of Greek
drama, the plays featured Choruses.
The chorus danced and either sung or

chanted their lines.
Group of similarly
costumed men
Civic Architecture
Council Chamber Bouleterion, Miletus
The Bouleterion is where the
Boule or council of the city
state met
It was a covered chamber
fitted with banks of seats like
a theater
The example shown is from
the city of Miletus
Similar buildings were found
in every Greek or Hellenistic
city
End of Lecture
Greek City Planning and
Design
Greek City Planning and Design
Planning and Design Principles
The ancient Greek civilization had established
principles for planning and designing cities
City form were of two types
Old cities such as Athens had irregular street
plans reflecting their gradual organic
development
New cities, especially colonial cities established
during the Hellenistic period, had a grid-iron
street plan
Certain things were common among cities
Planning and Design Principles
Towns had fixed boundaries and some were
protected by fortifications
Much of the town was devoted to public use
The Greek City was usually divided into three
parts; the acropolis, the agora and the town.
Site planning and design was centered on the
appreciation of buildings from the outside.
The location of buildings was therefore such that
it could command a good view to it.
The Acropolis
The Acropolis was the city of temples
It is the location where all the major temples of a
city are located
It was built to glorify the gods
Greeks considered high places to be important &
sacred
The Acropolis were usually located on the highest
ground
Other public buildings such as gymnasia, stadia,
and theaters were generally regarded as part of
religious rituals
They are normally found attached on lower
ground to the hills of the Acropolis
The Agora
The Agora was the most important gathering place in a
Greek city
It started as an open area where the council of the city
met to take decisions
With time buildings were constructed to define and
enclose the space
It also transformed into a place for combined social,
commercial and political activities
It emerged as the heart of Greek intellectual life and
discourse.
It was usually located on a flat ground for ease of
communication
It was placed to be easily accessible from all directions
In many cities, it is also located close to the Acropolis
The Town
The town was where the people lived
This was the domain of women, who did
not have any public role
Early Greek towns had an irregular street
pattern, resulting from its organic growth
Later Hellenistic towns such as Prienne
had a formal rectilinear pattern
The town was made up of only residential
houses
The Town
Houses were usually constructed of mud
bricks
Houses were of the courtyard type, with
rooms arranged around a courtyard
Houses vary according to standing in the
society
Houses of poor people were very simple
compared to the house of the rich, which
had more rooms and better finishing
Greek Architecture in Athens
Architecture, Planning & Design
Athens is a very good example of a typical
ancient Greek city
The city has the three components of acropolis,
agora and town found in a Greek city
The Acropolis and Agora in Athens also have
some of the best examples of ancient Greek
architecture
We will examine the Acropolis and Agora in
Athens to understand Greek architecture,
planning and city design.
The Acropolis in Athens
The acropolis in Athens was a
religious precinct located on
one of the hills of the city.
The Earliest versions of the
Buildings in the Acropolis
existed until 480 BC
In 480 BC, the Persians under
Xerxes burnt Athens and the
Acropolis to the ground
Not long after that the Greeks
defeated the Persians
The Acropolis in Athens
The Acropolis in Athens was
rebuilt in about 450 BC
The rebuilding of the Acropolis
was begun by Pericles, the wise
statesman who ruled from 460
BC to 429 BC
Pericles commissioned artist
and architects to build a new city
of temples to glorify the gods
The acropolis combined Doric
orders and ionic orders in a
perfect composition in four
buildings; the Propylea, the
Parthenon, the Erechtheumn,
and the temple of Nike.
Acropolis Athens
The best example of Greek
emphasis on visualization in
design and site planning is
seen at the Acropolis at
Athens
All the buildings on the
Acropolis are designed to be
seen than use
All the temples on the
Acropolis are place at an
angle that enables them to be
seen on two sides
If a building cannot see be
from two sides, it is
completely hidden
Acropolis Athens
From the entry at the
Propylae, a visitor has a
view of all the prominent
buildings in the Acropolis
Buildings are also position
at a distance that ensures
the appreciation of their
details
The central axis of view
from the propylae is left
free of building for a view
into the country side
Propylae
The propylae is the entrance to the
Acropolis
It was built around 437 B.C by
Mnesicles
The image highlights what is
currently left of the propylae
To reach the acropolis, people had
to enter through the center section
of the propylae
The two wings on either side were
never finished
The columns on the outside of the
propylae were Doric
The columns in the interior were
however Ionic
Propylae
Explanation for this is found in the
proportions of the Doric and Ionic
columns
If the Doric order were used in the
interior, the height of the roof would
make its diameter very large
To overcome this difficult, the designers
used the Ionic column which is much
slender than the Doric column
Inside the propylae was a library and
picture gallery with a place for people to
read and rest
In times of peace, the gates of the
propylae were usually left wide open
When an enemy threatened, the
wooden doors of the propylae were
closed and there was no other access to
the acropolis
The Parthenon
The Parthenon was the
most prominent building
on the Athenian
Acropolis
It was designed by
Ictinus and Callicrates in
447 BC
The Parthenon is the
most perfect Doric
temple ever built.
It was lighter and more
graceful than previous
temples
The Parthenon
It also embodies the
perfection of the Greek
system of proportioning
The proportions of the
Parthenon are based
on the proportions of a
man, which is seven to
one
The ideal human body
was seven heads tall
The Parthenon
The Parthenon is an octastyle
temple with 8 columns in front
and 17 columns by its side
In the Parthenon we also find
the best example of the
application of entasis
The Parthenon had two rooms
in plan; the treasury, which is
most often empty and the
naos or inner sanctuary
An ivory gold statue of
Athena, 11 meters tall carved
by Phidas once stood in the
noas or inner sanctuary of the
Parthenon
The Parthenon
The statue reached the
wooden roof of the temple
Parts of the inside and outside
of the Parthenon were once
painted
The inside of the temple was
often not used
Processions and ceremonies
were held outside
The temples alter was placed
on the Eastern side
During the Christian period,
the Parthenon was used as a
church
The Parthenon
Later the Turks converted it
into a Mosque
In 1687, the Turks used it to
store ammunition and when
they were attacked by the
Venetians, it exploded
The images shows what
remains of it
In 1801 An English man
gathered the broken pieces
and shipped them to the
British museum in England
The Erectheum
The erechtheum is located at
the point of a mythical fight
between Poseidon and
Athena for the possession of
Athens
Athena is believed to have
won the fight and so Athens
was named after her
The erechtheum was named
after Erechtheus, the
legendary king of Athens,
whose mother was the
goddess of the earth and
whose father was the fire god
The Erectheum
He was brought up by
Athena and is believed
to have judged the fight
between Poseidon and
Athena
The shape of the
erechtheum is not a
perfect rectangular and
it does not have a
colonnade surrounding
it
The Erectheum
Two porches spring out from the
core rectangle of the temple at
different levels
A small porch faces the Parthenon
This has columns in the shape of a
woman called caryatid
The caryatids are linked to a
historical story
The caryatids are a people who
lived in Asia minor
They were believed to have fought
with the Persians against the
Greeks
When the Greeks won, they
destroyed the cities of the caryatids
The Erectheum
They killed all the men and
brought back the women as
slaves
For revenge the Greeks copied
the Caryatid slave women in
stone and forced them to carry
the roof the Erechtheum for all
time
The weight of the roof is carried
from the top of the head of the
caryatid through their leg
A larger porch on the northern
side has ionic columns
The ionic columns have all the
characteristics of the Ionic
order
Temple of Nike
Just beside the propylae
is the Temple of Athena
Nike, meaning victorious
Athena
It was built around 420
BC and was designed by
Callicrates during the
Peloponnesian wars
The Athenians
worshipped Athena Nike
in the hope of victory
Temple of Nike
This is an ionic temple
It had a pediment that
no longer exist
The temple has an
entrance of four ionic
columns on two sides
The temple looks the
same from the front
and back
The Agora
The Agora in Athens was a
space used for social,
commercial and political
activities
The Agora at Athens was
located at the base of the
hill of the Acropolis
Civic and religious
buildings were
progressively erected
around the perimeter of the
Agora space
The Agora
Of all the buildings, the
stoa was the most
important
Stoas were useful
buildings in the context of
the Agora
They provided shelter
and served for many
other purposes
They also served to
embellish the boundary of
the Agora
Panathenaic
Way
Through the Architectural form of a structure, Architect can channel the
movement of people through purposeful routes of movement & points of
pause , influencing the nature of their responses
One of the brilliant examples of a human channel of movement is the

Panathenaic procession in ancient Greece.
Panathenaic is the ancient city festivals of Greeksspecially Athletics
It occur every year - & in an especially rich manner every four years as
a major event in civic life of Athens.
This procession took place along a clearly marked route extending from
the Dipylon Gate at the city wall across Athens & up the slopes of
Acropolis to the culminating point, the statue of goddess Athena.
Goddess
Athena.
the
Dipylon
Gate
https://www.google.co.in/search
Panathenaic
Procession
This route was used by the citizens of Athens every day of their lives for
a multiplicity of purposes.
Its use must always have raised association with the brilliant & beautiful
procession all of them had witnessed since childhood.
From the time of its first beginning in archaic days, the panathenaic
procession & the sensations of those taking part in it gave the central
theme to the development of Athens.
There was the simplicity of the single central movement system through
the city..there was the understanding of value of memory & of response
to forms.
Panathenaic procession was the central organizing force in the

Architectural & Planning development of Athens.
Design of Cities by Edmund N. Bacon

Evolution of Athens through
Panathenaic Procession
It continued diagonally across the

originally amorphous space of the agora
or market place, & on top the slopes of
the Acropolis through the Propylaea to
the statue of Athena.
600-479 B.C.
It served both as
Panathenaic the sacred way &
way was far also as the main
street of Athens.
more than a
478-339 B.C.
city street.
338-86 B.C.
It was the central
spine along which the
principal mercantile,
industrial, & political
activities which made
up life of city
86 B.C.287 A.D.
Design of Cities by Edmund N. Bacon

Study of Athens
www.slideshare.com
Hippodamus & Miletus.
In the later part of 5th century B.C., Hippodamus, an architect from
Miletus, advocated an outstanding theory in the history of town
planning by applying GRID IRON pattern of road layout.
This system was introduced

to rebuilt the Greek cities
which were destructed by
the Persian invasion.
For laying out the perpendicular

roads, individual buildings were
made the common denominator
& the functions of the buildings
were given importance.
The rough topography of Greek cities lead to creation of steps on the

roads, which did not create much problems as most of the movement
were on foot..
Introduction
The Agora at Athens contains
other administrative buildings
There was the bouleterion

(council chamber) for the
meeting of the council
There was also a tholos, a

circular building where the
standing committee of the
council when in office dined at
state expense
There were also two buildings

for the meeting of the jury court.
Introduction
And a shrine where the remains of
Alexander was buried
The central area of the Agora was

free of building
This image shows a reconstruction

of how social life may have taken
place in the Agora
People would be in the space of the

Agora carrying out all sorts of
activities with the Acropolis
prominent in the background and
the gods hopefully looking after
them
Architectural Characteristics
Buildings & Other Arch
Elements
Buildings & Other Arch. Elements
Building Types
The major architectural element of the Greek civilization is
the order and their principal building type is the temple
Greek buildings also feature civic buildings such as
theater, council chamber, stoa, etc
Greeks invented the classical orders of architecture
Their invention of the orders was a result of the search for
rational methods of expressing beauty
The orders embody a system of proportion that determines
how the whole building looks
An order consist of a column shaft with its base and
capital, and an entablature
All its dimensions were derived from the diameter of the
column
The entablature is further divided into architrave, frieze and
cornice
Building Types
Three orders of architecture were invented by Greeks;
Doric, Ionic and Corinthian
Doric was the earliest and has a square capital and the
stoutest proportion, resembling the power of a man
Ionic was taller in its proportion, has a volute capital and
resembles the proportion of a maiden
Corinthian has the same characteristics with the Ionic
except that its capital is decorated with the Acanthus leaf
Temples were the principal building types of the Greeks
Temples were considered as house of the Gods and
efforts to beautify them pushed architectural development
Building Types
Temples were design to be seen and
appreciated rather than used
The evolution of the orders led to standard
temple forms based on them
Towards the later part of the Greek civilization,
there was also a focus on civic construction
The Greeks needed civic buildings to support
their democratic institutions and also satisfy
their social and recreational needs
Council chambers, theaters, Stoas, were
among the civic buildings that became popular
with the city states
Materials, Const. & Tech.
Materials, Construction & Tech.
Materials
Examination of Greek architecture points to three
common materials of construction
These are Stone, timber and clay
Stone was the most common construction material for
buildings
Greece had an abundant supply of stone, particularly
marble
Stone was used for all types of temple and civic
construction
It was used for all type of building elements
The characteristic grey color of the stone of the area is
also what gives most ancient Greek buildings their
characteristics color
Materials
Timber was used mainly for roofing
It was a very scarce commodity and it also had
limited length
This limited its use
The limitation in length meant that the width of
buildings was restricted and only very important
buildings such as the Parthenon could go
beyond a certain width
We did not examine Houses but clay was used
mostly in housing construction
Clay was made into sun dried blocks for use in
construction
Construction and Technology
The principal Building Material of ancient
Greece was stone
The principal construction system was
trabeated or column and beam construction
Combined, the two were used for temples and
civic buildings
Construction technology involves ordering
stones in semi-prepared state from quarries,
On site, they were roughly shaped and placed
in position on the building
Elements placed in position would be been
sized to the right proportion
Building blocks were not bonded, but are rather
held in position by their weight
Then the rough stones were finished to achieve
the final form and treatment of the building
Finishing enables the builders to create
buildings of a particular order
It is in finishing that the Greeks showed their
mastery of construction
Finishing work involved creating the fluting, base
and capital decoration on columns
The Frieze and cornices of buildings were also
decorated with appropriate relief carving
Pediments were also finished with relief carvings, which in
temples depict stories of the gods
Full statues of gods were also carved and placed on

strategic places on the outside of the temple and also as
the major element in the interior
The Greeks essentially formalized architectural sculpture

and decoration
They were able to effectively translate their ideas of

beauty into tangible buildings
Ancient Greeks did not make significant contributions in

the aspect of building technologies
Principles of Arch.
Organization
Principles of Arch. Organization
Principles
It is possible to understand forces and

principles shaping Greek architecture by
examining the following issues;
The role of religion in architectural
development
Ideas about architectural aesthetics
Principles of architectural organization
Principles of city planning and urban design
The Role of Religion in Arch. Dev.
Religion played a significant role in the
development of Greek architecture
Architecture started in the service of religion
The important question for Greek architects was
the right form of the temple
Temples were the house of the Gods
The duty of the architect was to make them
beautiful
The search for how to make the temple beautiful
resulted in the establishment of Greek ideals of
beauty
Greek ideals of beauty was rooted in
mathematical proportions
Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics
The Greeks believed that mathematical
proportion is at the root of beauty
They also believed that the human body has
the best of proportions
Greeks also valued harmony, balance and
symmetry in design
Greeks developed principles based on their
believes about aesthetics
These principles were refined over time as they
are applied in building
With time they developed into a standard that is
widely applied
Ideas about Architectural Aesthetics
Builders exerted great effort in ensuring
that buildings were created to meet the
aesthetic ideals of the society
The Greeks in essence became the first
society to have well established ideas
about architectural aesthetics with
principles for their translation into physical
design
Principles of Organization
The Greek ideals of mathematical
proportion was applied in architecture
through the use of the orders
The orders provide a means to codify
mathematical proportioning, by linking all
the elements of the building with the
diameter of the column
The orders were also viewed as
anthropomorphic, representing the human
body
Principles of Organization
The Doric represents a man and the Ionic
and Corinthian represent a woman
The use of the orders also provided a
means for the Greeks to design buildings
to meet their ideals of harmony, balance
and symmetry
The use of optical correction, entasis, is a
pointer to the desire of the Greeks to
achieve their ideals of beauty in
architecture
Principles of City Planning & Design
Ancient Greeks not only develop ideals of architectural
aesthetics, but they also developed principles for the
design and planning of cities as location for architecture
The ancient Greek city states developed a standard plan
of the city
The city consisted of three defined elements; the town,
acropolis and Agora
Principles were developed for organizing each element of
the city based on activities and its symbolism
The town was a place to retire for the day
It was composed of simple courtyard houses separated
by streets
It could either be organic or grid-iron
Principles of City Planning & Design
The Acropolis was the city of the gods
This is where buildings reflecting the highest ideals of
beauty were placed to be seen rather than used
The principle of its design is that of isolated objects
arranged in open space
The objects are arranged to be seen in three-dimension
The Agora was a mundane place for social, commercial
and political activities
The principle of its design centers on creating boundaries
to contain space for activities
In practice, stoas and other civic buildings are used to
loosely define the space
These are usually treated with continuous colonnades or
porticoes along the side of the court with occasional
penetrations by footpaths

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Greek civilzation

What do we expect to learn from the

Egyptian Civilization Second Millennium B.C.

Greek Civilization 2000 B.C. to 300 B.C.

Time line of Classical Greece

Architecture in service of religion

This was the house of the god to whom the temple is

The interior rectangular space of the naos is framed by a

At the head of the processional space is the statue of the

The temple interior was generally dark, with only the

Democracy, democracy, democracy!!!

music, singing, dance and poetry.

three tragedies, or a trilogy.

All other businesses not directly

The first plays were performed in the Theatre of

These theatres proved to be so popular

Plays were performed out-of-doors.

The actors played multiple

The chorus danced and either sung or

One of the brilliant examples of a human channel of movement is the

Panathenaic is the ancient city festivals of Greeksspecially Athletics

Panathenaic procession was the central organizing force in the

Design of Cities by Edmund N. Bacon

It continued diagonally across the

Design of Cities by Edmund N. Bacon

This system was introduced

For laying out the perpendicular

The rough topography of Greek cities lead to creation of steps on the

There was the bouleterion

There was also a tholos, a

There were also two buildings

The central area of the Agora was

This image shows a reconstruction

People would be in the space of the

Full statues of gods were also carved and placed on

The Greeks essentially formalized architectural sculpture

They were able to effectively translate their ideas of

Ancient Greeks did not make significant contributions in

It is possible to understand forces and

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