CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE

The architecture of the

ancient Greece and Rome

on which the Italian Renaissance and the subsequent
styles, as the Baroque and the Classical Revival based
their development.
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K
ARCHITECTURE
MAP OF GREECE
GREEK TERMS:
1. ABACUS – the flat square on top of the capital; uppermost member of the
capital

2. APOTHECA– store room/ wine storage

3. CYCLOSTYLE – a circular projecting colonade

4. DENTILS – a small square block used in series in Ionic, Corinthian, Composite

and rarely in Doric cornices

5. ENTASIS – a slight convex curve used on Greek columns (vertical and

horizontal) to correct the optical illusion of concavity which results to dropping
and sagging.

6. FLUTING – a shallow concave grooves running vertically on the shaft of a

column, pilaster or other surface.
GREEK TERMS:

7. GLYPTOTHECA – a sculpture gallery

8. KONISTRA– orchestra of an ancient Greek theater

9. PLINTH – the lowest square member of the base of the treasury

10. THESAURUS – treasury house of the ancient Greece

11. VOLUTE – a spiral scroll in an Ionic capital; smaller version appears on

Corinthian and Composite capitals

References:
JPT Review Notes on the History of Architecture by Grace Ramos
History of Architecture by Sir Banister Fletcher
GREEK
ALPHABET
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GREEK ARCHITECTURE
The architecture of the civilization that flourish in the Greek peninsula, in Asia
Minor, on the north coast of Africa and in the western Mediterranean until the
establishment of Roman dominion in A.D. 146.

Characterized by

- a system based on rules of form and proportion

- temples of post-and-lintel construction
were continually refined in a quest for perfection
- their design influenced a wide range of secular, civic buildings
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Geographical Influence
Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea bounded Greece on two sides.
Athens - center kingdom contains the upper city as “ Citadel.”

Geological Influence
Marble – chief building materials

Climatic Influence
Cold and Hot - favored an outdoor life.
Most of public ceremonies took place in an open air even in religious
rites.
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Religious Influence
Large statues represents Greek deities.

Some Greek Deities:

Zeus – supreme god, chief god

Poseidon – god of the sea
Athena – goddess of learning and wisdom
Apollo – god of law and reason, art, music and
poetry
Aphrodite – goddess of commerce, love and
beauty
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POSEIDON
ZEUS
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APOLLO ATHENA APHRODITE

Social and Political Influence GREECE
Chief diversion were music, dancing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastic and bull fighting
often with religious connection. Tyrannic, aristocratic, and democratic were the forms
of government.
 Historical Influence
Periods of Development
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1. EARLY PERIOD (3000 B.C.-700 B.C.)
Aegeans, Minoans, and Myceneans were the only people in Greece

2. HELLENIC PERIOD
Pertaining to ancient Greek history, culture and art especially the time of
Alexander the Great.

3. HELLENISTIC
Pertaining to Greek history, culture and art from the time of Alexander the
Great’s death in 323 B.C. through the 1st century B.C. during which Greek
dynasties were established in Egypt, Syria and Persia, and Greek culture was
modified by foreign elements.
 GREEK
ORDERS
Greek Orders GREECE
1. DORIC ORDER
The oldest and the simplest of the five classical orders, developed
in Greece in the 7th century B.C. and later initiated by the Romans,

Characterized by:
- a fluted column having no base,
- a plain cushion-shaped capital supporting a square abacus, and
- an entablature consisting of a plain architrave,
- frieze of triglyphs and metopes and
- a cornice, the corona of which has mutules on its soffit.
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DORIC ORDERS
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DORIC ORDERS
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DORIC ORDER
Greek Orders GREECE
2. IONIC ORDER
A classical order that developed in the Greek colonies of Asia
Minor in the 6th century B.C.

Characterized by:
- by the spiral volutes of its capital.
- the fluted column has typically molded bases and
- supported an entablature consisting of an architrave of three
fascias,
- a richly decorated frieze and cornice corbelled out on
egg-and-dart and dentil moldings.
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IONIC ORDERS
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IONIC ORDERS
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IONIC ORDER
Greek Orders
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3. CORINTHIAN ORDER
The most ornate of the five classical orders, developed by the
Greeks in the 4th century B.C. but used more extensively in Roman
architecture.

Similar in most respect to the Ionic but usually of slender

proportions and

characterized by:
- a deep bell-shape capital decorated with acanthus leaves and
- an abacus with concave sides.
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CORINTHIAN ORDERS
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CORINTHIAN ORDERS
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CORINTHIAN ORDER
Architectural Character
A. AEGEAN ARCHITECTURE OR EARLY PERIOD

1. Low pitch or flat roof on multi-storey structure

2. Stairway was developed for vertical circulation
3. Houses termed as “Megaron” and palaces were principal bldg.

Megaron Areas:
a. Enclosed porch
b. Living apartment or Megaron proper
c. “Thalamus” or sleeping room
Architectural Structures
A. AEGEAN ARCHITECTURE OR EARLY PERIOD

1. Gate of Lions, Mycenae

2. Palaces such as:

Palace of King Minos , Knossos
Palace of Tiryns
Palace of Mycenaea
Palace of Pylos

3. Rock-cut Chamber Tombs

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LION GATE, MYCENAEA

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MYCENAEAN TOMB
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PALACE OF KING MINOS

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ROCK-CUT TOMB
Architectural Character
A. AEGEAN ARCHITECTURE OR EARLY PERIOD
4. Four Methods of Walling Surface Finishes
a. CYCLOPEAN
a masonry made-up of huge stone blocks laid mortar

b. POLYGONAL
a masonry which is constructed with stones having polygonal faces.

c. RECTANGULAR
block of stone cut into rectangular shapes.

d. INCLINED BLOCKS
stones with inclined blocks.
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CYCLOPEAN, POLYGONAL, RECTANGULAR,

INCLINED BLOCKS
Architectural Character
B. GREEK ARCHITECTURE OF HELLENIC PERIOD

1. Simplicity and Harmony

2. Purity of Lines

3. Perfection of Proportions

4. Refinement of Details
the “Hellenic Period” chief building type
were temples which were built
towards the rising sun (east).
Architectural Character
B. GREEK ARCHITECTURE OF HELLENIC PERIOD

Characteristics features:

a. Rectangular plan
b. Use of Temple Gateways “ Propylaea”
c. Collonade surrounds the temple
d. Stone walls
e. Marble sculpture
f. Mural paintings on walls
g. Optical illusions
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ACROPOLIS, ATHENS GREECE

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ACROPOLIS, ATHENS GREECE

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ACROPOLIS, ATHENS GREECE

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PARTHENON, ACROPOLIS
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CARYATID
 Architectural Structures
B. GREEK ARCHITECTURE OF HELLENIC PERIOD

1. “TEMENOS” or sacred enclosure also known as “Citadel” or “Acropolis”

or upper city.

2. Civic Square – square city or market place, political business and economic
life. Called AGORA

3. Temples – chief building. The plan is rectangular in shape.

a. NAOS – principal chamber containing the statue of the god or goddess,

with porticoes & collonades. Also “cella”
b. PRONAOS – the inner portico in front of naos
c. EPINAOS or OPISTHODOMOS – the treasury chamber
Parts of
Greek Temple
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1. PRONAOS
2. NAOS/ CELLA
3. EPINAOS
4. COLLONADE
5. PTEROMA
6. CREPIDOMA
7. STEREOBATE
8. STYLOBATE
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PARTS OF GREEK TEMPLE

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GREEK THEATER
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AGORA

GYMNASIUM
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THE ERECTHEION

PROPYLAEA (Gateway)
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STADIUM
(Panathenaic Stadium or
Kallimarmaro)

BOULEUTERION (Council House)

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TEMPLE OF KING ZEUS

 Form of
Greek Temples

1. IN ANTIS – temples that have one to four columns between antae at the front.
Two is usual number.
2. AMPHI-ANTIS– temples that have one to four column between antae at the
front and rear. Two is usual number.

3. PROSTYLE – temples that have portico of column at the front.

4. AMPHI-PROSTYLE - temples that have portico of column at the front and
rear.
 Form of
Greek Temples

5. PERIPTERAL - temples that have single line of columns surrounding the naos.
6. PSEUDO - PERIPTERAL – temples that have flanked of columns attached
to the naos wall

7. DIPTERAL – temples that have a double line of columns surrounding the naos.
8. PSEUDO- DIPTERAL – temples are like the last but the inner range of
columns is omitted on the flank of the naos.
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TEMPLE OF APOLLO TEMPLE OF ARTEMIS

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GREEK ORNAMENTS GREEK MOULDINGS

 Number of Columns on the Entrance Porch

1. HENOSTYLE – one column

2. DISTYLE – two columns
3. TRISTYLE – Three columns
4. TETRASTYLE – four columns
5. PENTASTYLE – five columns
6. HEXASTYLE – six columns
7. HEPTASTYLE – seven columns
8. OCTASTYLE – eight columns
9. ENNEASTYLE – nine columns
10. DECASTYLE – ten columns
11. DODECASTYLE – twelve columns
ENTASIS
THE ERECTHEION
GREEK ORDERS
ENTABLATURE
ENTABLATURE
MOULDINGS