GREEK ARCHITECTURE

CHRONOLOGY OF GREEK ARCHITECTURE

1. HELLADIC PERIOD in the AEGEAN AREA (CRETE)
EARLY PERIOD 3000 2000 BC
MIDDLE / MINOAN PERIOD 2000 1125 BC
PALACE OF MINOS at KNOSSOS
LATE/ MYCENAEAN PERIOD 1600 1050 BC
CITADEL OF MYCENAE
LION GATE at MYCENAE
TREASURY OF ATREUS (TOMB OF AGAMEMNON THOLOS)
2. GREEK / HELLENIC ARCHITECTURE
THE DARK AGE 1000-750 BCE
ARCHAIC PERIOD 750 479 BC
GREEK AGORA
3. CLASSICAL PERIOD 479 336 BC
ACROPOLIS- PARTHENON, ERECHTHEON (Temples)
4. HELLENISTIC PERIOD 323 30 BC
THEATRE EPIDAURUS,
TOWER OF WINDS

AEGEAN / MINOAN ARCHITECTURE

The Aegean period has 2 distinct architectural traditions:
1. Typical house: a free standing hut with a single room found in the
mainland and the region of Troy
2. House: a totally random asymmetrical agglomeration of rooms
found in Asia Minor and Crete
MEGARON PLAN: CITADEL OF TROY
Included a large rectangular hall consisting of a room which was
nearly square with a deep porch formed by extending the side
walls
This was the basis for all Classical Greek Temples
By the 2nd millennium BC the houses developed into an
agglomeration of buildings
The typologies were:
Palaces kings palace, administration
Places of manufacture & storage
The arrangement of rooms was
Asymmetrical
Around a central court,
Totally enclosed

AEGEAN / MINOAN ARCHITECTURE

PALACE OF MINOS AT KNOSSOS
Typical Minoan Architecture
Arranged around a central open court 170 x 82.5
The building covered 4 acres
Exterior planning:
Paved West court
Crossed by raised walks typical Minoan feature
Overlooked by a monumental West Faade
At the S end was the Principle Entrance
Palace building was 2 storeys
Ground floor -storage rooms
west wing had oil jars
north wing had granaries
Throne room important room at the W end
approached from an Anteroom at a
level lower than the Court
opened by 4 pairs of Folding Doors
the room was for religious purpose
rather than royal purpose
Stone Throne against the N wall
flanked by benches
Walls decorated with Frescoes

AEGEAN / MINOAN ARCHITECTURE

PALACE OF MINOS AT KNOSSOS
Principal floor-

N of Court
E wing
SE corner

1st floor
W wing had spacious state rooms
Rooms arranged for functional purpose
Ceremonial rather than for symmetry
separate Entrance approached from the
Theatric Area outside the palace
central hall of states
accommodate 3 stories of Royal Apartments
Uppermost level with court
Other 2 below the court level
Faces Eastwards facing terraced gardens
Rooms were isolated from the court connected with
each other
Passages lit by 3 light wells
Approached by rows of double doors, opened or
partially shut off
Designed to permit cool air or shut out the intense
heat of Cretan summer

Typical Minoan Character:

Stairways
Light wells
Colonnades
Cypress wood
Drainage & sanitation system
The planning is chaotic but a result of organic growth

AEGEAN / MINOAN ARCHITECTURE

PALACE OF MINOS AT KNOSSOS

AEGEAN / MINOAN ARCHITECTURE

PALACE OF MINOS AT KNOSSOS

MYCENEAN ARCHITECTURE
PALACE AT MYCENAE
Large fortifications similar to that of Tiryns (neighboring)
Principal feature Entrance protected by flanking Bastions
Lion Gate of Mycenae
At the inner end
Great upright stone jambs 10 high
Support an immense lintel 16 x 36 x 8
Over an opening 10 wide
Above was a triangular, corbelled opening filled with a
stone
Relief depicts 2 rampart lions facing a central column of the
typicalidownward tapering type
Enclosure Inside the fortification is a circular enclosure

Formed by an inner and an outer row of continuous upright

stones with horizontal slabs over them

Surrounded the shaft graves of the burial place of kings

Houses inside

Shrine among them

Shrine
House of idols
Had fresco painting depicting a goddess
Had terracotta cult figures
Palace
at the top of the citadel
Plastered court led to the Megaron Plan 426 x 393

MYCENEAN ARCHITECTURE
TREASURY OF ATREUS 1350 1250 BC
Also known as the Tomb of
Agamemnon
The most splendid Tholos at
Mycenae
A Tholos is a circular structure
A beehive shaped tomb
Excellent quality Stone
Masonry throughout
Dromos: 20 x118
Side walls rises to a max. 45 at
the entrance to the chamber
Chamber: 476 Dia. 48high
34 circular courses of
masonry gives curvature by
cutting
Capped with single block of
stone
Metal decoration on walls
Rock cut Chamber
27 sq., 19 high
Lined with masonry
Place of burial

ROCK CUT

CHAMBER

DROMOS

MYCENEAN ARCHITECTURE
TREASURY OF ATREUS 1350 1250 BC
Entrance - doorway
Faade
Passageway

179 high
34 high
5.4m long

Roofed by 2 enormous limestone lintels

8x5x1.5
On either side of the door are 2 green
limestone half columns
Usual tapering form decorated with bands
of Chevron pattern
The triangle over the lintel has slabs of
deep red stone
Carved with horizontal bands of spirals &
mouldings with plain bands in between
Lintel - a strip of green stone
Carved with rows of discs
Surmounted by rising spirals
and the Triglyph and Metope
pattern

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
EVOLUTION OF CITY STATES
During the Dark Ages Greece underwent depopulation both in the
mainland & Aegean.
The N migrants brought with them the dialect Dorian, Laconia,
Corinthia, and adjacent areas of Crete & Rhodes
Migrants to E Aegean spoke Ionian which was used in Athens
These dialects are equated with the principle geographic divisions
with the characteristic architectural forms
The revival in Greece began in the 8th c.
Evidence of renewal of overseas trading contacts
The smaller Greek communities grew richer by amalgamating
with their neighbours and formed larger states Polis (city
state)
This was the political entity in the classical period
The main city states of Greece were- Athens, Corinth, Argos,
Sparta in the mainland
E Aegean, Samos, Chios, Smyrna, Ephysus & Miletus
Each city state was jealous of its autonomy and independence
In Classical Greece, the polis was of paramount importance
with the individual as a subordinate
All aspects of life were under the protection of the Gods
Movement of Greek colonies overseas (Italy, Sicily, N Africa,
Black sea) was challenged by the rise of major states in the E
Greeks supported by Lydian kings who were overwhelmed
by Persia in the 6th c.
A period of flux in the civilization with pressure from the Persians
and rivalry between Athens and Sparta
Gradual political chaos and decline of the civilization with a brief
transformation by the Macedonian rule and Alexander
(Hellenistic)
After Alexander in 323 BC the Greek cities established their
freedom for the Achaean and Aetolian confederation

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

CULTURAL FACTORS
Religious belief was constantly changing with new cults introduced time to time
Gods were all powerful
Regular ritual of sacrifice to the God which required an open altar or space
Temple buildings developed later based on the importance and wealth of the cult
Buildings were considered as offerings and were hence magnificently executed
Other typologies:
1. Agora: the Greek society and political system was dependent on gatherings
With the growth of an organized town, the Agora was a central element in the
town plan
The Agora was an open space with structures required for functioning of the polis
at its edge
2. Domestic architecture: houses turned their back on the streets
Inward facing a courtyard
Division between male and female quarters
3. Greek city:
Temple was the principle building a simple rectangular roofed structure
Designed to be admired from outside
Buildings were built around a central courtyard or space
Appreciated only from within the court
Series of separate buildings with porticoes or colonnades
Colonnaded courts a feature of Hellenistic cities

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

GREEK AGORA URBAN ARCHITECTURE
The Agora was the heart of ancient Athens, the focus of political, commercial,
administrative and social activity, the religious and cultural centre, and the seat of justice.
A large, open public space which served as a place for assembly of the citizens
and, hence, the political, civic, religious and commercial center of a Greek city.
Buildings for all of these various purposes were constructed as needed in and around the
agora.
Formal layout of the agora was developed in the Hellenistic period. The Greek agora is the
predecessor of the forum of imperial Rome.
Situated to the N of the Acropolis
Built during the early Archaic period
An essential stage in its development
as a civic core was due to the drainage
developed by Peisistratos in the 2nd
half of the 6th c.
Drain built in polygonal masonry
along the W boundary of the Agora
The civic and the religious buildings
were built along the perimeter of the
agora

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

GREEK AGORA URBAN ARCHITECTURE

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

GREEK AGORA URBAN ARCHITECTURE
The main typologies in the Greek
Agora were:
I Temples
Temple of Hephaisteion
II

Stoas- a portico or a detached

colonnade
These provided shelter and
were multifunctional
They were separate self
contained rectangular
buildings which developed
giving the Agora the
appearance of a
colonnaded courtyard
1. Stoa of Zeus
Doric stoa on the W
Late 5th c.
2 aisles with projecting
wings
Inner ionic colonnade
due to greater height
which supported a
wooden ridge beam

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

GREEK AGORA URBAN ARCHITECTURE
2. Stoa of Attalus

Addition during Hellenistic

2 storied 116m x 19.4m

Doric in ground floor and Ionic in upper with a

balustrade

Marble structure

A row of rooms on both floors

3.Royal stoa
4.South stoa

5.Middle stoa

80.5m x 14.9m
Doric colonnade
Inner ionic colonnade
Behind the colonnade was a row of 15 rooms
each 4.9m square with off center doors and
plinths around the walls to accommodate
7 dining couches
Superstructure of mud brick
Floors and colonnades of beaten earth hence
rarely well preserved

GREEK ARCHITECTURE ARCHAIC PERIOD 8TH 6TH c. BC

GREEK AGORA URBAN ARCHITECTURE
III

IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX

Administrative buildings:
Provided closed accommodation
a)Bouleuterion was the council house
Held 500 people
Square building with windows and a pyramidal roof
Had an anteroom and an auditorium
b)Tholos was a circular hall used for dining by the council
Made of unbaked mud brick
Conical roof with tiles
Heliaea courtyard structure on the S- meeting place of the
jury
Shrine of Theseus walled enclosure containing famous wall
paintings
Fountain houses- colonnaded structures on the S side with a
portico
Mint public buildings
Altar dedicated to the 12 Olympian gods
Gymnasias ,stadias added later for the public

Agora at Athens

Temple of Hephaistos

Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios

Temple of Apollo Patroos
Bouleuterion
Metroon

Agora at Athens

The Odeion of Agrippa

The Royal Stoa (Stoa Basileios).
Altar of the Twelve Gods

Tholos

Gymnasium

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK ORDERS - DORIC
The principle orders of Classical Greek architecture are:
Doric
Ionic
Corinthian
DORIC ORDER
The Doric order was the most commonly used order for the facades of temples and structures
till the mid classical period when the ionic orders were also used in the exteriors
DORIC COLUMN
The Doric Column stands directly on the Crepis (Crepidoma)
The Crepidoma is normally 1-3 in temples
Shaft height:
The columns are thick with the Height = 4D (diameter)
In the 5th c. the height was increased to 5 5 D
In the Hellenistic period the height was increased to 7D
Shaft:
The shaft tapers to - D
Divided into 20 flutes or channels, 12, 16,18, 24
Sharp arrises
Slight convex profile called Entasis to counteract concave appearance of straight
columns
Hypotrachelion: Shaft terminates in the form of 3 grooves or 1 on block which forms the
capital

Capital:
The distinctive capital consists of
the Abacus and the Echinus
Abacus:
This is the square slab
forming the top of the capital
With or without moulding
Supported the Entablature
Echinus:
Near the base of the
Echinus are Annulets 3-5 in
number which stop the
vertical lines of the Arrises
and flutes of the shaft
It projects considerably and
is fuller in outline in the early
period
In the period of the
Parthenon the projection is
less with a subtle profile
In the Hellenistic period the
whole capital is shallow with

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK ORDERS - DORIC

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK ORDERS - DORIC
DORIC ENTABLATURE
Consists of 3 main components:
1. Architrave
The principal beam which is made up of 2 3 slabs of stone in
depth, the outermost showing a vertical face in the faade
Taenia: The flat projecting band capping the
Architrave
Regulae: strips of stone at intervals
corresponding to the Triglyphs
Guttae: small conical drops below the Regulae
normally 6 in number
2. Frieze
Triglyph:
These consist of 2 vertical channels
(glyphs) and 2 half channels at each
side, hence amounting to 3 (tri)
Aligned over each column and centrally
over each intercolumniation
2 Triglyphs meet in the corner to form a
beveled edge
Doric orders must end with a Triglyph, the
outermost one is moved outwards from
its position over center of the column

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK ORDERS - DORIC
3. Cornice / Geison
The upper or the crowning part
Soffit: the underside with an inclination to the slope of the roof
Mutules: Flat blocks over each Triglyph and Metope
ornamented with 18 Guttae in 3 rows of 6 each
Corona: vertical face with an overhanging drip at the bottom
Sima: continuous gutter - often omitted eg. At the Parthenon
Crowns the raking cornice of the pediment
Not provided with Mutules
Antifixae: ends of cover tiles stopped by an ornamental
element
The pediment crowns the Doric Entablature consisting of the
Tympanum and the Acroterion.
The Tympanum is the triangular portion with fine relief work
depicting scenes from religion

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GREEK ORDERS - IONIC
IONIC ORDER
The Ionic order includes the Base and the Capital. It made its
appearance in the 4th c. BC
IONIC COLUMN
Base:
There were different forms of the base used in eastern Greek are,
which developed in the 5th c. BC in Athens with a small moulding
Shaft:
Height is 9 10 D (including the base & shaft)
24 flutes with flattened Arrises, 40,44,48 flutes also present
Capital:
Consists of 2 pairs of Volutes or spirals
D with 1 pair in the front of the column and the other at the back
Joined on the sides by a concave cushion
Plain or ornamented with numerous flutes, fillets or beads
The Volute scroll rests on an Echinus which is circular in plan
Carved with an Egg & Dart Moulding usually with running
Palmettes where it disappears under the Volutes
The Abacus is shallow
The Ionic Capital presented difficulties at the corners where a Canted
Volute was used
In the Hellenistic period the capital has 4 fronts

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GREEK ORDERS IONIC CAPITAL

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GREEK ORDERS - IONIC
Entablature:
Consisted of 2 components:
1.

Architrave
Normally a 3 fasciae (3 rows in front face)
Capped by 2 mouldings, a low Astragal and a high Ovolo

2.

Cornice
The cornice supported on a frieze of large Dentils
The Entablature was hence light compared to the Columns being
only -1/6 H
The height was increased by the addition of the vertical parapet
Sima with carved decoration as for the Frieze with Dentils under
the cornice

There were a lot of differences in the order from place to place

The order was first used for the treasuries
In the 5th c. used for Temples such as the Erechtheon & Temple
of Nike
In the mainland a frieze was inserted in the entablature but the
dentils were omitted
The frieze when present was a continuous band of sculpture
The Ionic Temples did not have Antifixae on the flanks, instead
the Sima was carried along the side cornices too
Often ornamented with an Acanthus scroll
Carved lion heads served to throw rainwater from the roof

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GREEK ORDERS - CORINTHIAN
CORINTHIAN ORDER
This order 1st made its appearance in the 5th c. BC as a decorative variant of
the Ionic
The main difference was in the capital
Used first only for the internal colonnades or fancy monuments
Its use as an external colonnade was in the Hellenistic Period
The distinctive capital is much deeper than the ionic and was of a variable
height first
The proportion of the capital was finally - 1 H
The invention of the Corinthian Capital was due to Callimachus
a famous sculptor in bronze. He observed a basket over the grave of a maiden.
The basket was placed over the root of the Acanthus plant, the stems and
foliage of which grew and turned into volutes at the angle of the tile
Corinthian Capital:
A deep inverted bell
The lower part is surrounded by 2 tiers of 8 acanthus leaves
From between the leaves of the upper row rise 8 Caulicoli (caulis-stalk)
Each is surmounted by a calyx from which emerge volutes or helices supporting
the angles of the abacus and the central foliated ornaments
Each face of the moulded Abacus is curved outwards to the corners where it
ends either in a point or is chamfered
[Explain the Ionic shafts and entablature for the Corinthian too. Only the
capital and the Height is different]

GREEK ARCHITECTURE
GREEK ORDERS - CORINTHIAN

IONIC
ENTABLATURE

IONIC BASE

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK TEMPLES
The Greeks recognized separate areas as sacred to God in Towns and
Villages
Some were on sites occupied in the Late Bronze Age where there were
remains of earlier walls and some continuity of cult
Others were chosen buildings of natural distinctions such as proximity
of springs
Towns:
Some sanctuaries were in walled citadel
Several others in the countryside
Rarely walled, formal gateways infrequent
All sanctuaries included a temple
Temples:
Varied in detail
MEGARON PLAN
Consisted of a simple rectangular building to hold the statues of
gods
The statue stood in the Cella or Naos
The width of the Naos was limited by restricted sizes of timber
roofs
The side wall extended to form Porch (traditional Megaron Plan)
Porches were embellished with columns

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK TEMPLES
Columns:
Placed either between the ends of side walls in ANTIS
In a row in front of them PROSTYLE
Description:
Conventional consists of a Greek numeral + word STYLE (stylos is the greek word for column)
Distyle
-2
Tristyle
-3
FLANK
Tetrastyle -4
Pentastyle -5
Hexastyle -6
Heptastyle -7
Octastyle -8
Enneastyle-9
Decastyle -10
TREASURY
NAOS
ANTIS
(Offering)
(Odd nos. were unusual in early buildings)
Distyle was common in the Antis
PROSTYLE

No. of columns forming the faade:

Peripteral cella surrounded by columns
Columns along the flank variable
In Doric Temples of 5th c. the No.of columns on the flank = 2 no.on faade +1
Length reflects internal arrangement
There may be extra rooms or false porches at the back
Externally:
Temples made larger and impressive using double rows of external columns
Dipteral 2 rows
Tripteral 3 rows
Eg. Temple of Athena Nike Tetrastyle
Temple of Athena Delphi Hexastyle
Pseudodipteral the outer columns are spaced as though there were a 2nd or internal row which is not
present or omitted

GREEK ARCHITECTURE CLASSICAL PERIOD 479-336 BC

GREEK TEMPLES
Temples in Sanctuaries:
These may contain more than 1 temple
They may include a temple of lesser importance than the principal building.
Eg. Temple of Artemis in Asklepios at Epidaurus
Or may be temples constructed at different periods but of equal importance
Eg. Temple of Selinus in Sicily
Altars:
Often monumental,Rectangular
Embellished with architectural motifs and mouldings
Triglyphs & Metopes, Friezes
Screens of columns
All sanctuaries had altars
Sanctuary:
Became full of monuments, statues, other offering rooms
Often placed on an elaborate high base, with exedrae, rectangular or semicircular seats and recesses
Possible to distinguish the most sacred area which was near the temple and altar
Less holy areas devoted to human involvement in cult and ritual
Less Holy Areas:
Outer areas
Theatre, Stadium, Hippodrome, Exercise ground, Palastroi, Gymnasium close to stadium
Sacred banquet for privileged worshippers who consumed their share of sacrificial meals while
reclining on couches
Thesaurus- Treasury- Building resembling a small peripteral temple offered to God from individual cities
Lavishly decorated
Commemorating some important event
Victory in War Athenian treasury in Delphi