History Of Architecture

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Location

 History Of Architecture
The Parthenon:
 It is a temple in the Athenian
Acropolis, dedicated to the Greek
goddess Athena
 Its construction began in 447 BC and
was completed in 438 BC, although
decorations of the Parthenon
continued until 431 BC.
 It is the most important surviving
building of Classical Greece, generally
considered to be the culmination of the
development of the Doric order.
 Like most Greek temples, the
Parthenon was used as a treasury.

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Location

 History Of Architecture

The Parthenon:
 Pronaos
 Naos
 treasury Pronaos
 Opisthodomos

Opisthodomos treasury Naos

` Greek Architecture Parthenon

 History Of Architecture

Stereobate
The Temple is
surrounded by the
conventional 3 steps.
Each measuring about
50cm.
Smaller steps were
given for access along
the shorter sides. (East
and West).

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Stereobate

 History Of Architecture

Stylobate
 Measured at the stylobate, the
dimensions of the base of the
Parthenon are 69.5 meters by
30.9 metres (228’ x 101’)
 The temple follows Peristyle in
terms column location. It has a
single row of free standing
columns surround the building.
 The temple follows Octastyle in
terms number of columns located
in the façade. The temple has 8
columns in the façade and 17
columns in the flanks.
 The temple follows the
proportions that were prevalent in
the 5 century BC. Length = 2.25
Breadth.

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Stylobate

 History Of Architecture

Columns

 On the exterior, the Doric

columns measure 1.9 metres
(6’2”) in diameter and are
10.4 metres (34’3”) high.
 The height of Column shaft:
Height = 5 ½ Diameter.
 The corner columns are slightly
larger in diameter. (6’3”)
 Intercolumniation – 1.28 diameter
of the column in the center. In
the corners it was reduced to 1.07
diameter of the column.
 The columns had 20 flutes.

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Columns

 History Of Architecture

Pronaos and Opisthodomos:

These are located directly behind the Outer colonnade.
These rooms have Hexastyle Prostyle porches in the front.
o These are Hexastyle in terms of the number of Columns provided.
o These are Prostyle in terms of locating the columns.
o These two rooms had a continuous ionic frieze showing the procession of gods.

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Porches

 History Of Architecture

Naos:
 It was located in the eastern side. It was 29.8m (98’) in length X 19.2m (63’) in width.
 It has a Doric colonnade in two tiers, to hold the roof.
 Inside the colonnade at the end stood the statue of Athena.

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Naos

 History Of Architecture

Parthenon (Treasury)
 It was a square chamber which was used as a treasury.
 Even though the temple is a classic example of the Doric order, this room has 4 ionic
columns.

Parthenon
(treasury)

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Parthenon

 History Of Architecture

Entablature
 It is .34 times the height of the columns
 It follows all the Doric order principles:
o Architrave, Frieze and cornice
 The corner columns have shorter intercolumniation so that the Frieze can end with a Triglyph.
 All Metopes were decorated with relief sculptures depicting the combat scenes.
 Inner pronaos had a continous Ionic frieze

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Entablature

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` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Frieze

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` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Frieze

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Pediments
 It is .34 times the height of the columns
 The eastern pediment shows the Birth of Athena.
 The western pediment shows the contest Athena and Poseidon, both competing for the
honor of becoming the patron god of the city.

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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
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Optical Refinements
 Entasis
 Horizontal feature:
• Stylobate, Architraves, Frieze, Cornices – all have slight convex outlines with a bulge
in the middle.
• Eg: The Stylobate is 60mm higher in the middle than in the edges on the shorter sides
and in the longer sides it is 110mm higher than the edges.
 Vertical Features
 The column are inclined inwards, the axis of the corner columns lean inwards by
60mm

` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Actual

 History Of Architecture

What we see.
How it would look if built with
true verticals and horizontals.

How it was really built.

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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture Parthenon - Recreated

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` Greek Architecture Parthenon

 History Of Architecture

 The architecture of the

ancient Greek theatre
consists of three major
parts:
1.The Orchestra,
2.The Skene
3.Koilon.

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 History Of Architecture

• The Orchestra was the almost circular place, situated in front of the scene (stage)
facing the audience.

• The orchestra was the acting place, especially in the early years, although gradually
the action moved from the orchestra to Proskenion.
• The skene had one or three entrances for the actors.
• The sides of the Skene facing the audience, served for background as were decorated
as a Palace or a Temple. 
• Between the scene and the seats, there were two more entrances, called Parodoi.
• Along the back wall of the scene was built a narrow but raised platform, the Logeion /
Proskenion.
       
• The Koilon (or Theatron) was the auditorium of the greek theater, where the
spectators sat.
• Its shape was semi-circular, built around the orchestra. It was divided in two Diazoma,
the upper and the lower.
• Radial staircases separated the Koilon into wedge shaped sections, in order to make
the entrance and exit of the spectators easier.
• The front seats were called Proedria and were reserved for officials and priests.

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` Greek Architecture
 History Of Architecture

` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
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` Greek Architecture
 History Of Architecture
The most important monuments of the site are:
1.The Temple of Hephaestus (Hephaisteion) It is the most prominent and better
preserved monument of the Agora. The temple was dedicated to two gods, Hephaestus
and Athena.
2.Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios. The stoa was erected in honor of those who fought for the
freedom and security of the city.
3.Temple of Apollo Patroos. Small Ionic temple, erected in 340-320 B.C.,
4.Bouleuterion. The Council of 500 (Boule) held its regular meetings here. It had the
sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods and the state archives, including the proceedings
of the meetings and various official documents.
5.Monument of the Eponymous Heroes. An oblong pedestal supported the bronze
statues of the legendary heroes who gave their names to the ten tribes of Attica. The
monument served as the official notice board of the city.
6.Altar of the Twelve Gods. Fenced area with an altar at the centre.
7.The Odeion of Agrippa. It was built by Agrippa in 15 B.C. and comprised an
auditorium with a seating capacity of about 1000 people, and a two-storey portico.
8.The Royal Stoa (Stoa Basileios). Built around 460 B.C., it was the seat of the Royal
Archon (Archon Basileus).
9.The Tholos. Circular building erected in ca. 460 B.C

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