Ancient Greece: Civil and Later Greek Architecture

Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp

Topics   

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Acropolis Corinthian Order Corinthian Order Architecture Later Greek Architecture Civic Architecture City Planning

Ancient Greece: Acropolis 

Athenian Acropolis 

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Located in modern day Athens Means “City on the height” Destroyed in 480 B.C. and rebuilt in 450 B.C. under the democratic statesman, Pericles Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Acropolis 

Athenian Acropolis 

Site planning was very important Every structure was built with the others in mind  The goal was to create a larger single complex consisting of multiple structures  The human participants in Greek architecture were of utmost importance 

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Acropolis was designed to control the movements of people from one location to another Grand avenues provided fluent movement through the complex

Ancient Greece: Acropolis

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Order 

Corinthian Order 

The third major Classical Greek order 

Has been seen as an independent order since the time of the Roman historian, Vitruvius 

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Features 

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Actually considered a variant of the Ionic Order by many modern architectural historians

Richness of ornamentation and more freedom of expression by designers

Alexander the Great 

Had enormous influence on this style after he united Greece and built many new cities

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture 

Temple of Athena Alea  

Located at Tegea Considered an ideal Corinthian structure

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture 

Bassae 

The only Corinthian structure still standing

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture 

Tholos  

Means round temple The two most important tholos appear at Delphi and Epidaurus

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Corinthian Architecture 

Temple of Zeus Olympius  

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Located in Athens c. 170 B.C. The first structure that bore a Corinthian reflection in mainstream society Dwarfed the Parthenon Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture 

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Hellenistic Greece began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Several important structures were built during this time Temple of Apollo at Didyma  Mausoleum at Halicarnassus  Altar of Zeus at Pergamum  Sanctuary of Asclepius 

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture 

Temple of Apollo at Didyma  

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c. 300 B.C. Actually completed by the Romans Considered one of the most imaginative Greek shrines

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture 

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus 

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One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Built for the King Mausolus by his wife Featured a pyramid-like roof that many scholars believe was influenced by the pyramids of Egypt

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture 

Altar of Zeus at Pergamon 

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Featured an Ionic like theme Has been partly reconstructed in the State Museum, Berlin, Germany Features a mural along its base depicting a battle of the Gods and the Titans

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture 

Sanctuary of Asclepius on the Island of Kos Tribute to the god of medicine  Sickly people came to be healed by the waters of a natural spring located within the structure  Had a much grander scale than the Altar of Zeus  Documented a profound change in Greek architecture from past structures 

Ancient Greece: Later Greek Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture 

Agora Located in Athens near the Acropolis  An ancient “mall” 

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Combination marketplace and civic center

Key structures 

Stoa of Zeus 

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One of Socrates favorite meeting places

Stoa of Attalus II  

Grandest stoa in the Agora Believed to have housed one of the three branches of Greek government

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture 

Theatre at Epidaurus 

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The most famous Greek theatre Recognized for its amazing acoustics 

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A pin dropped at the center of the theatre can be heard in the farthest seats

Set against a beautiful Greek landscape Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: Civic Architecture 

Stadiums 

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Most famous are located in Olympia and Athens Used for athletic events  

A key part of Greek life Served as the locations for the Greek Olympics

Photo: www.ancient-greece.org

Ancient Greece: City Planning 

Greek architecture was mostly focused on public buildings 

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They were not as concerned with the afterlife and private palaces such as the Egyptians

City planning was based upon the inhabitants and the terrain

Ancient Greece: City Planning 

Hippodamus Famous Greek intellectual who devised a five step plan to city planning  Five step plan 

City was cut by several main streets crossing at right angles  The resulting rectangles were subdivided into blocks  The blocks were further subdivided into house plots  Public buildings were placed accordingly to avoid congestion  The plan of the city was based on the particular terrain 

Ancient Greece: City Planning 

Examples of planned Greek cities 

Miletus 

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The first planned Greek city

Priene Prominent Hippodamian scheme  Constructed on a hillside  Prime example of a Greek urban scheme 

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Photo: Sullivan

Ancient Greece: City Planning

Photo: Sullivan

References   

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Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture

Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp