Greek Architecture Essay

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There are many different types of architecture, but they all somehow relate back to the ancient Greek’s architecture. Greeks developed their distinctive building types, and these forms, once established, remained remarkably consistent. (W.B Dinsmoor 1927) Characteristically, they combined the functional elements with close attention to the overall aesthetic effect of a building. Thus the ancient Greeks constructed glorious architectures. The Greek Architecture is divided into three main periods; the Geometric and Orientalizing periods (1100 B.C to 650 B.C), the Archaic period (660 B.C to 475 B.C), and the Classical period (475 B.C to 323 B.C). (A.W Lawrence 1957). Along with the different periods of Greek architecture, the Classical period had two main styles; Doric and Ionic.

Architecture of the Geometric and Orientalizing periods had mostly made out of a simple structure made of mud bricks and rubbles. They were generally built on an east-west axis with an entrance and a columned entry. However, in rectangular temples, the two sidewalls stood beyond the front wall to form an entrance. In the rooms, a single row of wooden columns with the main axis supported the wooden beams of the gable roof. (J. J. Coulton, 1977) Not only the temples and houses were built with mud brick, but also the graves erected in the Geometric and Orientalizing periods were also built in the similar style and method. The small rectangular earth mounds in the Geometric period assumed as a monumental form with walls of mud-brick protected by a jutting cornice of slabs and surmounted by a flat or shallow pitched roof. (M. Andronikos) The whole structure was coated with mud painted decoration.

The Archaic period mo...

... middle of paper ...

...nce on elegance and decoration, preferred Ionic order more. Unlike the Doric order, the emphasis on the decoration provided a figurative relief. ‘Athena Nike Temple’ bolsters the example of the Ionic order. The temple sometimes had columns replaced by statues, as on the ‘Erechtheum.’ These statues have some similarities to the columns such as the fold in the figures tunic could symbolize the fluting on a column, and the headdress may be regarded as a capital. On the other hand, in Doric temples the sculpture applied the structure rather than form part of it, such as the relief in the metopes and groups of figures in the high relief. (J. J. Coulton)

The Greek architecture exhibits the detailed recording of buildings and their components through the three main periods. Although the style and method have changed, the emphasis on the general context remains the same.

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