Page 1 of 7

Greek Architecture INFLUENCES A. Geographical Located at south eastern Europe Greece is a land surrounded by three major seas: the Ionian Sea in the west, Aegean in the west and Mediterranean in the southern part. The region is mountainous, but then a fertile land. So it is also prone to earthquakes. Because of this setting, mountains in Greece were served as barriers of different groups or clans and were responsible for the rivalry which was characterized the different Greek statesboth in peace and in war. In the ruins of Sicily and southern Sicily lies the Dorian tribe, while the Ionian group was located at the lands of Asia Minor. CRETE largest island located at the southern part of the Mediterranean Sea.

B. Climate mostly they enjoy the climate of that of Mediterranean, which is that, summers are long, hot and generally dry usually has a mild and fairly rainy winters high place such as mountains is wetter and cooler than that of the lowlands

C. Geology Greece is mountainous and the land is fertile MARBLE it is the chief mineral in Greece. It is the most monumental and most beautiful of all building materials It facilitates exactness of line. Greeks gave a very much importance to its quality. It makes accurate outlines and smooth surfaces for they coated it with coarse-grained limestone with a layer of marble stucco. Other minerals found in the mountains: gold iron lead bronze silver

D. Religion The Greek religion was based on the worship of nature and of a group of superhuman Gods and Goddesses. It was based on the natural phenomena in which a god is personifying. Three main greek gods include: Zeus (Jupiter) the god of all gods; god of thunder and lightning Poseidon (Neptune) god of sea, earthquake and horses
Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Page 2 of 7

Hades (Pluto) god of the underworld Other major and minor gods: Hera (Juno) wife and sister of Zeus, goddess of marriage and mother of all gods Athena (Minerva) goddess of wisdom; patron of Athens Aphrodite (Venus) goddess of love and beauty Apollo (Apollo) sun god; god of healing and medicine. Artemis (Diana) goddess of hunt; twin sister of Apollo Eros (Cupid) god of diety, lust, and sex Ares (Mars) god of war Hephaestus (Vulcan) god of fire and forge Hermes (Mercury) messenger of the gods Demeter (Ceres) goddess of agriculture Hestia (later known as Dionysius) (Vesta) goddess of hearth *Olympics a religious festival in honor of Zeus held in the town of Olympia. Mt. Olympus home of the Greek gods and goddesses

E. Social Greeks were united because of their devotion to their religion and religious festivals. They also have love for music, fine arts, drama and national games, thats why, other than temples, structures were meant to built for recreation like theater, stadia and gymnasia. Greece rarely linked social hierarchy (ranking people by importance) to political power. People in the urban center lived in low apartment buildings or single-family homes, depending on their wealth. Dwellings, public buildings, and temples were situated around the agora, where people gathered for conversation and to buy food and crafts at daily markets. Citizens also lived in small villages or farmhouses scattered around the city-states countryside. In Athens, more people lived outside the citys wall than inside. Houses were simple, containing bedrooms, storage rooms, and a kitchen around a small inner courtyard, but no bathrooms. Waste was dumped in a pit outside the door and then collected for disposal. E. History It all began when the Greeks defeated the Persian army during the Persian War in Marathon (490 B.C.), Salamis (480 B.C.) and in Plataea (497 B.C.) Most important temples were built 50 years after. 444 429 B.C. when Athens reached the climax of their prosperity during the time of Pericles. Because of this, the Spartans became jealous of them which lead to the Peloponnesian War in 431 404 B.C. Other states were against the supremacy of Sparta. Therefore, the leadership was moved in Thebes and Macedonia. There was union of the Greek people with the help of King Philip of Macedonia for his son, Alexander the great reached and conquered the whole of Greece.

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

Page 3 of 7

In his time (334 B.C.), Alexander the great had his six years of expeditions. He subdued the Egypt and the Persian Empire. His conquests extended to northern India, which Hellenism was spread in western Asia. Macedonian Empire was split among different generals after his death. And in the end, Greece had just become a province of Rome in 146 B.C.

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER AND CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM Greek Architecture was divided into two Periods: Early Period (3000 700 B.C.) also known as Mycenaean / Minoan period Architectural Character: Rough and Massive Hellenic Period (700 146 B.C.) Architectural Character o Simplicity and Purity of line o Perfection and Proportions gives dignity and grandeur o Refinement of Detail / inspite of smallness of scale System of Construction: o Columnar and Trabeated in structure. o Refinements made to correct optical illusions: o Long horizontal lines of such features such as stylobates, architraves and cornices would appear to sag or drop in the middle if it is straight in reality and so it is reformed with slightly convex out line. EXAMPLES A. Temenos a sacred enclosure which is the highest part of a Greek city. It was set apart because of the topography and it was allowed to be a citadel (acropolis). These are walled like cities and are irregular in shape because of the terrain. It normally has: o Principal temple o One or two subsidiary temples or shrines together with treasuries o Stoas o Altars o Columns in honor of heroes, benefactors or heroes in the game o Exedrae- a recess or alcove with raised seat where disputes takes place o Sacred groves of trees The acropolis has: o Propylae- entrance gateway/vestibule o Pinacotheca- building containing painted pictures o Statue of Athena Promochos o The Erectheion Erectheum o Old Temple of Athena o The Parthenon o Theatre of Dionysos
Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Page 4 of 7

o o o B. Civic Squares

Stoa of Eumenes Odeion of Herodes Atticus Temple of Nike Apteros

political, social, business and economic life were the center of Greeks

C. Temples said to be the chief buildings during the Hellenic Period different type and purposes in uses built with special regard to outward effect because they were not intended for internal worship adorned with fine sculptures on order to form fitting shrines to the deities to whom they were dedicated Architectural Analysis of the Temples Plan

Temples generally stood upon a crepidoma of three or more steps Naos- contained the statues of gods and goddesses Pronaos- front portico Opisthodomos/Epinaos- rear portico There are seldom treasury chambers The smallest building were wholly surrounded by colonnades

Elevation Seldom there were double colonnades to carry the roof which is made of timber and covered with terra cotta Light was let in through holes cut in especially large tiles of the roof On the ends of the temples were triangular-shaped pediment usually filled with sculpture which terminates the roof span Eaves have antefixa which served to eject rain water Doors were placed within the pronoas on the east front Windows were rare in temple buildings Temple are described according to two types: o number of columns on the entrance front Henostyle- one column Heptastyle- seven columns Distyle- two columns Octastyle- eight columns Tristyle- three columns Enneastyle- nine columns Tetrastyle- four columns Decastyle ten columns Pentastyle- five columns Dodecastyle eleven columns Hexastyle- six columns o arrangement of the exterior columns in relation to the naos In antis- temples have from 1-4 columns between antae at the front with usually two columns

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

Page 5 of 7

Amphi-antis- have from 1-4 columns between the antae at the front and at the rear Prostyle- has a portico of columns at the front Amphi-prostyle- have a portico of columns at both rear and front Peripeteral- the naos is surrounded by a single line of columns Pseudo-Peripeteral- have flanked of columns attached to the naos walls Dipteral- the naos was surrounded with double line of columns Pseudo-Dipteral- like Dipterial except that the inner range of columns are omitted on the flanks of the naos

D. Propylaea entrance gateway that marks the approached to the sacred enclosures in many Greek cities

E. Theatres open-air structures hollowed out of the slope of a hillside in or near the city. It consists of: Orchestra- a complete circle which was slightly raised, usually with an altar to Dionysos at the centre and where the choris chanted and danced. Cavea- rose in tiers of stone seats founded on natural rocks Skene- also called scene building which was merely a tent or booth in which the players prepared. Development of skene: o Parascenia- wings at the ends which projected forwards that marked the width of the orchestra. o Proscenium-built in front of the skene, its roof serving as a stage or logeion (speaking place) o Episcenium- a raised background of the upper part of a two storey skene which was later developed.

F. Public buildings Agora- town square, center of Greek business and social life Stoa- a long colonnaded building used around public places and as shelters and religious shrines Prytaneion- served as a senate house for the chief dignitaries of the city and as a place where distinguished visitors and citizens might be entertained Bouleuterion- council house which was also a covered meeting place for democraticallyelected councils Assembly halls- generally for citizens Odeion- A kindred type to the theatre, was a building in which musicians performed their works for the approval of the public and competed for prizes Stadium- a foot racecourt in the cities, where games were celebrated and has a length of about 6000 between banks of seats, founded on convenient natural ground. The starting end was straight and the others are semicircular

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

Page 6 of 7

Hippodrome- similar to stadium, though longer type of building for horse and chariot racing Palaestra- wrestling school Gymnasium- place for any physical exercise. it is made up of the following: o courts for athletes o tanks for bathers o dressing rooms and toilets o places for rest and conversation o exedrae and other seats for spectators o stores o ephebeum or club-room w/c served for lecturers Naval building- included ship-shed and stores Tombs- mausoleums or monumental tombs Domestic buildings o Architectural elements: Plans - symmetrical, simple and rectangular; though occasionally asymmetrical

GREEK ORDERS Doric Order Stands without a base directly on a crepidoma Height of 6-7 times of its diameter Circular shaft is divided into 20 shallow flutes Capital consists of abacus and echinus Near the base of the echinus are annulets or horizontal fillets The abacus is a square shaft Entablature Details: o The architrave is made up of 2-3 slabs in the depth o The frieze is formed of triglyphs with 3 upright channels alternating with metopes or square spaces o The cornice has a birds beak molding or a cymatium Examples: Temple of Apollo, Temple of Zeus, Parthenon

Ionic Order Has a base Has 24 flutes separated by fillets Base consists of upper and lower torus divided by a scotia and fillets Capital has a pair of volutes or spirals 2/3 the diameter in height, showing to front and back and joined at the sides, by a concave cushion, sometimes plain but usually ornamented with numerous flutes, fillets and beads The volutes scroll rests on an echinus, circular or plan , carved with egg-and-dart and resting on a bead molding Above the volute scrolls a shallow abacus, with molded edge, which at first was elongated in the direction of the architecture it supported, but which eventually became square on plan
Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Page 7 of 7

Entablature Details: o Original had only 2 main parts, architrave and cornice. The latter large dentils and bed mould. Further development had a frieze inserted and the bed mould taken away o The architrave normally has 3 fasciae is capped by a small group of mouldings o The frieze is sometimes plain yet sometimes ornamented with a band of sculptures Examples: o Temple of Athena Polias, Priene o Temple of Apollo Didymaeus, Miletus o Temple of Nike Apteros, Athens o The Erectheion

Corinthian Order: Capital is much deeper than the Ionic It has an inverted bell, the lower of which is surrounded by 2 tiers of 8 acanthus leaves and from between the leaves of the upper row, rise eight caulicoli, each 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 a point at the angles, or the abacus is chamfered at each angle. Detail of Entablature: o Entablature may be Doric or Ionic. Invariably, there are 3 parts to the Corinthian entablature: architrave, frieze and cornice. The cornice is the developed type, with small dentils in the bed mould. Eventually under the Romans, the Order is enriched by extra small molding, and an important modillion band is added to the bed mould, the modillions being consoles or brackets beginning support to the projecting corona on the cornice.

AR 223/AR 3163
Arch. Ticao

Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts