 |
Most of the temples built in ancient Greece were dedicated to the twelve main Olympian gods. Starting in the 450's BC, the golden age of Pericles, the Greeks began constructing many grand buildings. The Parthenon, one of the finest buildings ever built, used flat beams supported by columns because the architect Ictinus thought that arches were not stable. Ictinus also made many optical illusions to make the building look properly proportioned. |
| The three distinctive styles of columns developed by the ancient Greeks are the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian.The Doric column was first used around the 7th century BC.It was most commonly used in the mainland and western colonies of ancient Greece. It is most famously used in the Parthenon. The Doric had no base, and the surface of the shaft has as slight convex curve. It consists of an undecorated slab of marble on a round disc of stone. The Ionic order originated in Asia during the 6th century BC. It featured a slender shaft and had a scroll like decoration on top. It was used inside the Erechtheum, the house of the wooden statue of Athena. |
|
 |
In the 4th century BC, the Corinthian style appeared as a variation of the Ionic order. Its shaft is slender, and the top is carved from the shape of an upside down bell, decorated with leaves. It faces equally in four directions and is better adapted for corners. Today, many buildings such as the Buckingham palace, uses these columns. They can be found everywhere, from office buildings to museums, only if you take time to look for them. |
[Home Page]
[Arts] [Battles]
[Everyday Life] [First Olympics] |
