The ancient temples of Greece - history frozen in stone. The main types of temples in ancient Greece

In the second millennium BC. e. Greek tribes are gradually moving into the Aegean region from the north. The Dorians take over the Mycenaean territories and bring with them a different way of life and, apparently, the knowledge of iron.

The Dorian Greeks, whose tribes conquered the Achaean cities, adopted the religious and mythological ideas of the Achaeans, many skills and traditions, but in general they stood at a lower level of social development, it took more than three centuries for a class society to mature on the land of Ancient Hellas and slave-owning city-states arose.

Under the pressure of the Dorians, the local population retreats and populates the islands of the Aegean Sea and the coast of Asia Minor. On the territory of Greece, many city-states arise, such as Athens or Sparta, competing with each other.

The history of the culture of the ancient world is traditionally divided into periods.

Homeric period (XI - IX centuries BC) Of the architectural structures of this period, only ruins have survived, by which one can judge the continuity of Homeric Greece of the Aegean culture: in the names of the gods to whom the temples were dedicated; in the plans of temples, reminiscent of the outlines of a Mycenaean megaron with an entrance on the narrow side of a rectangular building.

archaic period(from XII BC to 590 BC) Passed in relation to architecture in the development of basic principles and forms. During this period, a planning scheme was formed, which formed the basis for the subsequent architecture of Greek temples and which is characterized by the surrounding of the main volume of the temple with a colonnade. however, no material monuments of this period have been preserved.

Early Classic period (590 BC - 470 BC)
The ruins of buildings of the second period that have come down to us testify that its main feature was the gradual liberation of Greek architecture from foreign influence, the transformation of elements brought from Asia and Egypt into forms corresponding to the spirit of the people and the conditions of their religious beliefs and rituals.

Almost all buildings in this period are of the Doric style, at first heavy and a little graceful, but then becoming lighter, bolder and more beautiful.

Of the temples of this era, located in Greece itself, one can point to the temple of Hera at Olympia, the temple of Zeus in Athens, the temple of Apollo at Delphi (one of the most famous and luxurious sanctuaries of ancient Greece) and the temple of Pallas Athena on the island of Aegina, which in modern times received loud fame for the sculptural groups that adorned its pediments.

Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

The ancient Greeks attached great importance to the temple of Apollo located in Delphi and the Delphic oracle. The ancient geographer Strabo wrote: “The greatest honor fell to the share of this sanctuary for the sake of its oracle, since of all the oracles in the world it seemed the most truthful, but nevertheless the location of the sanctuary itself added something to its glory. After all, it is located almost in the center of all Greece, both on this and on the other side of the Isthmus. It was also believed that it is located in the center of the inhabited world, and they called it the navel of the earth. In addition, a myth was invented, transmitted by Pindar, that two eagles released by Zeus met here: one from the west, the other from the east.

Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

The temple was built in 366-339 BC, on the site of several successive buildings, the earliest of which dates back to 548-547 BC. But even before her, at least three more predecessor temple buildings existed on this site.

Now several columns and foundations have survived from the majestic temple of Apollo. The temple is 60 meters long and 23 meters wide. Once it was surrounded on all sides by six columns at the ends and fifteen at the long sides. It was a classical ancient Greek temple, called the periptera.

Olympeion, Temple of Olympian Zeus - the largest temple in all of Greece, built from the 6th century BC. e. until the 2nd century A.D. e.
The length of the base of the temple of Zeus was approximately 96 m, and the width was 40. Fifteen of the one hundred and four 17-meter columns of the temple are still standing, another column is dismantled.

Olympeion, Temple of Olympian Zeus

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was located in the Greek city of Ephesus on the coast of Asia Minor (now Selchuk, Turkey). The first major temple was built in the middle of the VI century BC. e., burned by Herostratus in 356 BC. e., soon restored in a rebuilt form, in the III century destroyed by the Goths.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

Classic period (470 BC - 338 BC)

During the third period, that is, during the most brilliant period of Greek art, the Doric style, continuing to be dominant, becomes lighter in its forms and bolder in their combination, while the Ionic style comes into greater and greater use, and, finally, gradually gains the right citizenship and style Corinthian. Actually in Greece, temples become more noble and harmonious both in their general character and in the proportionality of individual parts.

In the V-IV centuries BC. Athens became the main city of Ancient Greece. Ebullient construction unfolded in the reign of Pericles. Under him, under the guidance of the outstanding sculptor Phidias, an ensemble of several structures was erected - the Athenian Acropolis.

Temple of Nike Apteros

Athens Acropolis.

Temples, sculptures and the entire composition of the Acropolis became the most striking example of the flowering of Greek classical art.

At the foot of the hill are the portico of the Propylaea - the solemn gate - and the small temple of the wingless Nike (Niki Apteros).

The main temple of the Acropolis - Parthenon

The main temple of the Acropolis is the Parthenon (447 BC). Against the backdrop of a bright blue sky, its columns of brownish-golden marble look solemn and monumental. A total of 46 columns surround the temple. The distance between the extreme columns is less than between the columns in the middle. This creates the feeling that the columns are moving.

The Parthenon was decorated with a sculptural frieze, most of the sculptures of which were carved by Phidias with his own hands. The frieze depicts 365 figures of people and 226 animals, and not a single figure is repeated. The inside of the building was divided into two parts. In the large hall stood a 12-meter statue of the goddess Athena, created by Phidias. The other half of the temple was occupied by the hall where the treasury and the state archive were kept.

The small Erechtheion temple stands on the spot where, according to legend, Athena argued with Poseidon. The gods wanted to own Greece, but they had to bring their gifts to her. Poseidon carved a salt spring out of the rock with his trident.

Athena plunged her spear into the ground, and an olive tree grew. People liked Athena's gift more. And she became the patroness of Attica and the city, which was given her name.

The temple is named after one of the first kings of Athens, Erechtheus, who sacrificed his daughter to the gods for the sake of Athens. His grave was located in the same church. The mythical king Kekrop, who was the founder of the city of Athens, was also buried in the Erechtheion.

The brilliant achievements of architecture in Athens had a strong influence on architectural activity elsewhere in Attica and the Peloponnese.

Temple of Apollo at Bassae (unique in its kind, as it combines all three ancient Greek architectural orders. Basically, it is a Doric temple, a peripter, with a pronaos (an extension in front of the entrance to the temple), a cella, a sanctuary and a treasury. It has 6 columns on the narrow sides and 15 on the long ones (in contrast to the ratio of the number of columns 6 x 13 adopted in that era). The temple is dedicated to Epicurean Apollo. Apollo Epicurius means Apollo the savior, probably because he helped the Phigalians in the fight against Sparta, or because he saved the city from the plague that was common during the Peloponnesian War. The construction of the temple is attributed to 420-400 years. BC, a Iktin (one of the builders of the Athenian Parthenon) is considered to be the architect, who in this creation managed to combine many archaic elements characteristic of the ancient religious tradition of Arcadia with the latest achievements of the classical era. Due to the remoteness from the main Greek centers, the temple was forgotten for a long time, but that is why it has survived so well to this day. It was accidentally discovered by a French architect in 1765. The first serious excavations were carried out here in 1836 (Karl Bryullov took part in them).

Of interest is the cult statue of Apollo, which once again emphasized the asymmetric and picturesque design of the temple. According to one version, she stood opposite the entrance to the small section of the cella, in the southern part of the temple - thus, she was illuminated by the first rays of the rising sun. The statue of Apollo has not been preserved; it was allegedly taken away in the 4th century BC. e. to the newly founded Peloponnesian city of Megalopolis and received a new place there.

Temple of Zeus at Olympia

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia (468-456 BC) is one of the most revered temples of Ancient Greece, the first authentic example of the Doric order. It served as the center of the architectural ensemble of ancient Olympia. The temple is famous for its sculptural decorations, especially the colossal statue of the father of the gods, executed by Phidias. Historical reconstruction of the Temple of Zeus of the 19th century, performed by Paul Neff Verlag.

Ancient Greek architecture had a huge impact on the architecture of subsequent eras. Its main concepts and philosophy have long been entrenched in the traditions of Europe. What is interesting about ancient Greek architecture? The order system, the principles of city planning and the creation of theaters are described later in the article.

Development periods

Ancient civilization, which consisted of many scattered city-states. It covered the western coast of Asia Minor, the south of the Balkan Peninsula, the islands of the Aegean Sea, as well as Southern Italy, the Black Sea region and Sicily.

Ancient Greek architecture gave rise to many styles and became the basis in the architecture of the Renaissance. In the history of its development, several stages are usually distinguished.

• (mid-XII - mid-VIII century BC) - new forms and features based on the old Mycenaean traditions. The main buildings were residential houses and the first temples, made of clay, unbaked bricks and wood. The first ceramic details appeared in the decor.
• Archaic (VIII - the beginning of the V century, 480 BC). With the formation of policies, new public buildings appear. The temple and the square in front of it become the center of city life. In construction, stone is more often used: limestone and marble, terracotta cladding. There are different types of temples. Doric order prevails.
• Classics (480 - 330 BC) - the heyday. All types of orders in ancient Greek architecture are actively developing and even compositionally combined with each other. The first theaters and musical halls (Odeillons), residential buildings with porticos appear. A theory of the planning of streets and quarters is being formed.
• Hellenism (330 - 180 BC). Theaters and public buildings are being built. The ancient Greek style in architecture is complemented by oriental elements. Decorative, luxury and pomp prevail. The most commonly used is the Corinthian order.

In 180, Greece came under the influence of Rome. The empire lured the best scientists and masters of art to its capital, having borrowed some cultural traditions from the Greeks. Therefore, ancient Greek and Roman architecture have many similarities, for example, in the construction of theaters or in the order system.

Philosophy of architecture

In every aspect of life, the ancient Greeks sought to achieve harmony. Ideas about it were not blurry and purely theoretical. In ancient Greece, harmony was defined as a combination of well-balanced proportions.

They were also applied to the human body. Beauty was measured not only "by eye", but also by specific numbers. So, the sculptor Poliklet in the treatise "Canon" presented clear parameters of the ideal man and woman. Beauty was directly associated with physical and even spiritual health and integrity of the individual.

The human body was seen as a structure, the details of which are perfectly fitted to each other. Ancient Greek architecture and sculpture, in turn, sought to match the ideas of harmony as much as possible.

The sizes and shapes of the statues corresponded to the idea of ​​a “correct” body and its parameters. usually promoted the ideal person: spiritual, healthy and athletic. In architecture, anthropomorphism manifested itself in the names of measures (elbow, palm) and in proportions that were derived from the proportions of the figure.

Columns were a reflection of a person. Their foundation or base was identified with the feet, the trunk - with the body, the capital - with the head. Vertical grooves or flutes on the column shaft were represented by folds of clothing.

The main orders of ancient Greek architecture

There is no need to talk about the great achievements of engineering in ancient Greece. Complex structures and solutions were not used then. The temple of that time can be compared with a megalith, where a stone beam rests on a stone support. The greatness and features of ancient Greek architecture lie, first of all, in its aesthetics and decorativeness.

The artistry and philosophy of the building helped to embody its order or a post-and-beam composition of elements in a certain style and order. There were three main types of order in ancient Greek architecture:

• Doric;
• ionic;
• Corinthian.

All of them had a common set of elements, but differed in their location, shape and ornament. So, the Greek order included a stereobat, stylobate, entablature and cornice. The stereobat represented a stepped base over the foundation. Next came the stylobate or columns.

The entablature was a carried part, located on the columns. The lower beam, on which the entire entablature rested, is called the architrave. It had a frieze - the middle decorative part. The upper part of the entablature is a cornice, it hung over the rest of the parts.

At first, elements of ancient Greek architecture were not mixed. The Ionic entablature lay only on the Ionic column, the Corinthian - on the Corinthian. One style per building. After the construction of the Parthenon by Iktin and Kallikrates in the 5th century BC. e. orders began to combine and put on top of each other. This was done in a certain order: first Doric, then Ionic, then Corinthian.

Doric order

Doric and Ionic ancient Greek orders in architecture were the main ones. The Doric system was distributed mainly on the mainland and inherited the Mycenaean culture. It is characterized by monumentality and somewhat heaviness. The appearance of the order expresses calm grandeur and conciseness.

Doric columns are low. They have no base, and the trunk is powerful and tapers upward. The abacus, the upper part of the capital, has a square shape and rests on a round support (echinus). Flutes, as a rule, were twenty. The architect Vitruvius compared the columns of this order with a man - strong and restrained.

The entablature of the order always included an architrave, a frieze and a cornice. The frieze was separated from the architrave by a shelf and consisted of triglyphs - rectangles stretched upwards with flutes, which alternated with metopes - slightly recessed square plates with or without sculptural images. Friezes of other orders did not have triglyphs with metopes.

First of all, practical functions were assigned to the triglyph. Researchers suggest that he represented the ends of the beams that lay on the walls of the sanctuary. It had strictly calculated parameters and served as a support for the cornice and rafters. In some ancient buildings, the space between the ends of the triglyph was not filled with metopes, but remained empty.

Ionic order

The Ionic order system was widespread on the coast of Asia Minor, in Attica and on the islands. It was influenced by Phoenicia and Persia of Achaedine. A striking example of this style was the temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the temple of Hera at Samos.

Ionic was associated with the image of a woman. The order was characterized by decorativeness, lightness and refinement. Its main feature was the capital, designed in the form of volutes - symmetrically arranged curls. The abacus and echin were decorated with carvings.

The Ionic column is thinner and slimmer than the Doric. Its base rested on a square slab and was decorated with convex and concave elements with ornamental cuts. Sometimes the base was located on a drum decorated with a sculptural composition. In ionics, the distance between the columns is greater, which increases the airiness and sophistication of the building.

The entablature could consist of an architrave and a cornice (Asia Minor style) or three parts, as in a dorica (Attic style). The architrave was divided into fasciae - horizontal ledges. Between it and the cornice were small teeth. The gutter on the cornice was richly decorated with ornaments.

Corinthian order

The Corinthian order is rarely considered independent, it is often defined as a variation of the Ionic. There are two versions of the origins of this order. More mundane speaks of borrowing style from Egyptian columns, which were decorated with lotus leaves. According to another theory, the order was created by a sculptor from Corinth. He was inspired to do this by a basket he saw containing acanthus leaves.

It differs from the Ionic one mainly in the height and decoration of the capital, which is decorated with stylized acanthus leaves. Two rows of fashioned leaves frame the top of the column in a circle. The sides of the abacus are concave and decorated with large and small spiral curls.

The Corinthian order is richer in decor than other ancient Greek orders in architecture. Of all three styles, he was considered the most luxurious, elegant and rich. Its tenderness and refinement were associated with the image of a young girl, and the acanthus leaves resembled curls. Because of this, the order is often called "girlish".

ancient temples

The temple was the main and most important building of Ancient Greece. Its shape was simple, the prototype for it were residential rectangular houses. The architecture of the ancient Greek temple gradually became more complex and supplemented with new elements until it acquired a round shape. Usually these styles are distinguished:

• distill;
• prostyle;
• amphiprostyle;
• peripter;
• dipter;
• pseudodipter;
• tholos.

Temples in ancient Greece had no windows. Outside, it was surrounded by columns, which housed a gable roof and beams. Inside there was a sanctuary with a statue of a deity to whom the temple was dedicated.

Some buildings could house a small dressing room - pronaos. In the back of the large temples there was another room. It contained donations from residents, sacred inventory and the city treasury.

The first type of temple - distil - consisted of a sanctuary, a front loggia, which was surrounded by walls or antes. There were two columns in the loggia. With the complication of styles, the number of columns increased. There are four of them in the style, and four in the amphiprostyle on the back and front facades.

In temples-peripherals, they surround the building from all sides. If the columns are lined up along the perimeter in two rows, then this is the dipter style. The last style, the tholos, was also surrounded by columns, but the perimeter was cylindrical. During Roman times, the tholos developed into the rotunda type of building.

Policy device

Ancient Greek policies were built mainly near the sea coast. They developed as trading democracies. All full-fledged residents participated in the public and political life of cities. This leads to the fact that ancient Greek architecture develops not only in the direction but also in terms of public buildings.

The upper part of the city was the acropolis. As a rule, it was located on a hill and was well fortified in order to hold back the enemy during a surprise attack. Within its boundaries were the temples of the gods who patronized the city.

The center of the Lower City was the agora - an open market square where trade was carried out, important social and political issues were resolved. It housed schools, the building of the council of elders, the basilica, the building for feasts and meetings, as well as temples. Statues were sometimes placed around the perimeter of the agora.

From the very beginning, ancient Greek architecture assumed that the buildings inside the policies were placed freely. Their placement depended on the local topography. In the 5th century BC, Hippodames brought about a real revolution in urban planning. He proposed a clear grid structure of streets, which divides blocks into rectangles or squares.

All buildings and objects, including the agora, are located inside the block cells, without getting out of the general rhythm. Such a layout made it easy to complete the construction of new sections of the policy, without violating the integrity and harmony. According to the design of Hippodamus, Miletus, Cnidus, Assos, etc. were built. But Athens, for example, remained in the old "chaotic" form.

Living spaces

Houses in ancient Greece differed depending on the era, as well as the wealth of the owners. There are several main types of houses:

• megaron;
• apsidal;
• pastad;
• peristyle.

One of the earliest types of dwelling is the megaron. His plan became the prototype for the first temples of the Homeric era. The house had a rectangular shape, in the end part of which there was an open room with a portico. The passage was edged by two columns and protruding walls. Inside there was only one room with a hearth in the middle and a hole in the roof for smoke to escape.

The apsidal house was also built in the early period. It was a rectangle with a rounded end part, which was called the apse. Later, pastoral and peristyle types of buildings appeared. The outer walls in them were deaf, and the layout of the buildings was closed.

The pasta was a passage in the inner part of the courtyard. From above it was covered and supported by supports made of wood. In the 4th century BC, the peristyle becomes popular. It retains the former layout, but the pastoral passage is replaced by covered columns along the perimeter of the courtyard.

From the side of the street there were only smooth walls of houses. Inside there was a courtyard, around which all the premises of the house were located. As a rule, there were no windows; the courtyard was the source of light. If there were windows, they were located on the second floor. Interior decoration was mostly simple, excesses began to appear only in the Hellenistic era.

The house was clearly divided into the female (gynaecium) and male (andron) half. In the men's part, they received guests and had a meal. It was possible to get to the female half only through it. From the side of the gynaecium was the entrance to the garden. The wealthy also housed a kitchen, a bathhouse and a bakery. The second floor was usually rented out.

Ancient Greek theater architecture

The theater in ancient Greece combined not only an entertaining aspect, but also a religious one. Its origin is associated with the cult of Dionysus. The first theatrical performances were arranged to honor this deity. The architecture of the ancient Greek theater reminded of the religious origin of the performances at least by the presence of an altar, which was located in the orchestra.

There were festivities, games and plays on the stage. In the 4th century BC, they ceased to be related to religion. The distribution of roles and control of performances was handled by the archon. The main roles were played by a maximum of three people, women were played by men. The drama was performed in the form of a competition, where the poets took turns presenting their works.

The layout of the first theaters was simple. In the center was the orchestra - a round platform where the choir was located. Behind her was a chamber in which the actors (skena) changed their clothes. The auditorium (theatron) was of considerable size and was located on a hill, encircling the stage in a semicircle.

All theaters were located directly under the open sky. Initially, they were temporary. For each holiday, wooden platforms were built anew. In the 5th century BC, places for spectators began to be carved from stone right in the hillside. This created a correct and natural funnel, contributing to good acoustics. To enhance the resonance of the sound, special vessels were placed near the audience.

With the improvement of the theater, the design of the stage also becomes more complicated. Its front part consisted of columns and imitated the front facade of temples. On the sides were rooms - paraskenii. They kept scenery and theatrical equipment. In Athens, the largest theater was the Theater of Dionysus.

athenian acropolis

Some monuments of ancient Greek architecture can still be seen today. One of the most complete structures that have survived to this day is the Acropolis of Athens. It is located on Mount Pyrgos at an altitude of 156 meters. Here are the temple of the goddess Athena Parthenon, the sanctuary of Zeus, Artemis, Nike and other famous buildings.

The acropolis is characterized by the combination of all three order systems. The combination of styles marks the Parthenon. It is built in the form of a Doric perimeter, the internal frieze of which is made in the Ionic style.

In the center, surrounded by columns, there was a statue of Athena. The acropolis played an important political role. Its appearance was supposed to emphasize the hegemony of the city, and the composition of the Parthenon was supposed to sing of the victory of democracy over the aristocratic system.

The Erechtheion is located next to the majestic and pretentious building of the Parthenon. It is entirely made in the Ionic order. Unlike his "neighbor", he sings of grace and beauty. The temple is dedicated to two gods at once - Poseidon and Athena, and is located on the spot where, according to legend, they had a dispute.

Due to the features of the relief, the layout of the Erechtheion is asymmetric. It has two sanctuaries - cellae and two entrances. In the southern part of the temple there is a portico, which is supported not by columns, but by marble caryatids (statues of women).

In addition, the Propylaea remained in the acropolis - the main entrance, surrounded by columns and porticos, on the sides of which there was a palace and park complex. On the hill was also located Arreforion - a house for girls weaving clothes for the Athenian games.

The development of architecture began with the development of cities - during the archaic period.

The main building in the architecture of Greek antiquity was the temple.

The temple was dedicated to the gods - the guardians of the city or deified heroes. The temple was the center of city events.

The city treasury and artistic treasures were kept in the temples. The square in front of the temple served as a meeting place and a place for celebrations.

The temple was erected in the center of the city square or on the acropolis. The facade of the temple was located to the east towards the rising sun.

Temples - the main architectural structures of Ancient Greece

The simplest and oldest type of temple was distill An example of such a temple is the temple in Anty. It consisted of a small room-naos, rectangular in plan and open to the east with two columns between the ants (side walls) on the main facade. Such a temple was perceived only from the front side.

The next, more perfect type of temple was Prostyle. It was similar to distill, but in such a temple there were already four columns on the facade.

The improved style was Amphiprostyle or double prostyle. Such a temple had four columns on the front and on the back facade of the temple (where the entrance to the treasury was) ..

The classic view of the Greek temple was Peripter (feathered). Such a temple was rectangular in plan and surrounded by a colonnade along the perimeter.

There are six columns on both facades, the side ones are determined by the formula "2p + 1". P is the number of columns on the front facade.

The development of architecture continued new types of temples appear

Dipter- a type of temple, on the side facades of which there were two rows of columns. Pseudo-dipter. The same as Dipter, only without the inner row of columns.

And finally Round Peripter or Tholos . The sanctuary of such a temple has a cylindrical shape.

The temple is surrounded by columns around the perimeter.

To summarize, the figure shows the plans of ancient Greek temples.

1-distile-temple-in-antah 2-prostyle 3-amphiprostyle 4-peripter 5-dipter 6-pseudo-dipter 7-tholos

The main elements in the architecture of the temples of ancient Greece

• The foundation of all Greek temples was of three or more steps, which is a slab made of flat hewn stones.
• The steps of a Doric temple are called stereobates and stylobates.. The upper part of the temple was called the pediment, from the Latin frontis - the forehead, the front of the wall.
• used in Greek architecture triangular pediment.

The main elements of the temple are simple and organically connected with the structure of the building.

Landscape and architecture in ancient Greece

An important point in ancient architecture is that in construction much attention was paid to natural conditions and how the constructed object will be in harmony with the surrounding landscape

During the era of high classics created the most remarkable ensemble of the era is the Acropolis of Athens.

The Acropolis was located on a hill overlooking Athens

A wide marble staircase leads up the hill. Near it, on the right, an elegant small temple was erected to the goddess of victory, Nike.

To get to the main square, you should pass the gate with columns - Propylaea. Here stands the statue of the goddess of wisdom Aphrodite, the patroness of the city. Further on, the Erechtheion temple, peculiar according to the plan. With its famous portico, where female statues - caryatids - are used instead of columns.

And of course the main temple of the Acropolis Parthenon which was dedicated to Athena. It was built in the Doric style and rightly It is considered the most perfect structure erected 2 thousand years ago. The Parthenon fell into ruins over 300 years ago during the Venetian siege of Athens in the 17th century.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (now Selçuk in Izmir, Turkey). Considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It was built in the middle of the 4th century. BC e., burned by Herostratus in 356 BC. e., several times subjected to restoration and reconstruction.

Periods in ancient Greek architecture

archaic period

In ancient Greek architecture, an archaic period is distinguished (7th century BC - 590 BC). During this period, the peoples inhabiting the territory of Ancient Greece created structures, the design principles of which formed the basis of later buildings. Samples of ancient Greek architecture of the archaic period are mainly preserved on the Apennine Peninsula, in Sicily, in Paestum, Selinunte, Agrigentum, Syracuse. The composition of archaic architectural ensembles was created by buildings located in a row.

Monuments of archaic ancient Greek architecture were the temples of Hera ("Basilica") in Paestum, Athens ("Demeter"). Temple of Hera ("Basilica") is made of tuff, its peculiarity lies in the odd number of massive columns on the end. The columns themselves thicken downwards, creating a feeling of "puffiness". The massiveness of the structure is combined with decorative stone carvings.

Temple of Hera at Paestum. Mid 6th c. BC.

Columns of the Temple of Hera at Paestum.

Early Classic period

The next stage in the development of ancient Greek architecture is early classical (590 BC - 470 BC). During this period, ancient Greek architecture was enriched with Egyptian and Asian elements that fit into the philosophy and religious beliefs of society. Structures became less elongated, proportions became more proportionate and less heavy. At that time, when installing the colonnade, they began to adhere to the ratio of the number of columns of the end and side facades of 6:13 or 8:17.

An example of ancient Greek architecture of the transitional period between the late archaic and early classics is the temple of Athena Aphaia on the island of Aegina (about 490 BC). It had small dimensions, the ratio of columns was 6:12. The temple was made of limestone, its walls were covered with paintings, the pediments were decorated with marble sculptures (now they are stored in the Munich Glyptothek - Münchener Glyptothek).

The temple at Selinunte in Sicily also belongs to the transitional period in ancient Greek architecture. It was still elongated and had a column ratio of 6:15. The columns themselves gave the impression of massive and overweight. Typical buildings of ancient Greek architecture of the early classics are the Temple of Poseidon at Paestum and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (end of the 5th century BC). It is installed on a three-stage base. It has a low stylobate (the upper part of a stereobat - a stepped plinth on which the colonnade was erected), low wide steps, the ratio of massive columns with a thickening in the lower third is 6:14. The temple was built taking into account the peculiarities of visual perception. From a distance, he looks squat. As you approach the building, a feeling of its power and grandeur grows. Such a method of calculating the perception of an object as it moves away or approaches is typical for the architecture of the period of the early classics in ancient Greek architecture.

Temple of Poseidon at Paestum.

The Temple of Zeus at Olympia (468 and 456 BC) - the work of the architect Libon, was the largest temple in the Peloponnese (the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula). The temple was built from shell rock. The ratio of the columns is 6:13. On the pediments were depicted the chariot race of Pelops and Oenomaus, the battle of the Greeks with the centaurs, on the elements of the frieze - the exploits of Hercules.

Ruins of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia.

classical period

The classical period of ancient Greek architecture (470 BC - 338 BC). During this period, the improvement of style continued. Marble was used instead of sandstone. Buildings became lighter and more elegant. Examples of buildings of the classical period are the temple of Theseus in Athens, the temple in Illis (not preserved) and the temple of Apteros at the entrance to the necropolis of Athens.

Hellenic period

The Hellenistic period (338 BC - 180 BC) in ancient Greek architecture developed under the influence of Eastern motifs. Sample - the temple of Winged Athena in Tegea, the temple of Zeus in the city of Nemea. Many buildings with rich decorations were erected in Asia Minor, for example, the monument to King Mausolus, the temple of Athena in the city of Priene, the temple of Phoebus Didyma in the city of Mileet.

Ruins of the Temple of the Winged Athena in Teg.

Types of temples in ancient Greek architecture

Anty (antae) - ledges of the longitudinal walls of the building on both sides of the entrance, serving as a support for the cornice.

The earliest type of temple was distil (“temple in antah”). In terms of the temple - a rectangular or square room - intact, the front facade with an entrance, reminiscent of a loggia with side walls (antami). Between the ants on the front end there were two columns (hence the name: "distill", which means - "two-column").

Scheme of the temple in antah.

Temple in Antes - Treasury of the Athenians. Athens. late 6th - early 5th c. BC.

The temple is prostrate with one portico and columns at one end (columns replace antes).

A forgiving temple with an annex.

The temple is amphiprostyle with two porticoes with columns on two ends.

Temple of Nike Apteros with two porticos in the Acropolis. Athens. 449 - 420 BC Architect Kallikrat.

Peripteric temple - it is based on an amphiprostyle or prostyle structure, which stands on a high foundation and has a colonnade around the entire perimeter. An example is the Parthenon.

Parthenon. 447 - 438 BC Architects Iktin and Kallikrat.

The dipteric temple has a double row of colonnades along the perimeter. An example of a dipteric structure of ancient Greek architecture is the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus in 550 BC.

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

The temple is pseudo-peripteric - instead of columns, the perimeter of the building was decorated with semi-columns, which protruded half the diameter of the columns from the walls. The temple is pseudo-dipteric, in which, behind the outer row of columns along the perimeter, there were semi-columns protruding from the walls. Ancient Greek columns In ancient Greek architecture, the column played an important role, it served as a defining module - in accordance with its size, all the proportions of the structure and its decor were created. There are several types of columns. Doric columns had a diameter to height ratio of approximately 6:1. The column at the top is thinner than at the bottom. Below the middle, the column had a thickening. Often Doric ancient Greek columns were covered with vertical grooves - flutes, usually there were 16-20 of them. The columns were placed directly on the floor of the structure or mounted on a rectangular pedestal.

Drawing of the capital of a Doric column with flutes.

Volutes - curls on the capitals from the side of the facade. On the sides of the capitals, the volutes are interconnected by shafts - balusters resembling a scroll. The volutes are edged with convex rims, twisting in the form of a spiral, converging in the center into an "eye" - a small hemisphere.

Ancient Greek Ionic columns are more elegant than Doric ones, they were placed on a stylobate - a wide quadrangular foot, at the bottom of the columns there is a base of shafts separated by grooves. The Ionic column is covered with a large number of deep flutes (24 or more). The capital of the column is made in the form of two opposite volutes.

Ionic column.

The ancient Greek Corinthian column was distinguished by its special splendor. The capital of the Corinthian column is a basket surrounded by two rows of acanthus leaves; obliquely standing four volutes. The architects of the Roman Empire and the architects of the Renaissance made the Corinthian column a role model.

Corinthian capital.

The diversity of buildings of ancient Greek architecture is united by a common constructive approach to construction, a system of proportions and elements that make it possible to identify this style at a glance.

Ancient Greek architecture is grandiose and majestic, in addition, it had a huge impact on subsequent world art. The main direction in the architectural business of that era was the construction of temples.

Famous Architects of Ancient Greece

Hermogenes of Alabanda - a famous architect of Ancient Greece III-II centuries BC. He is the founder of the Ionic order in ancient Greek architecture. His great creations: the temple of Artemis Leukofrine and in Teos.
Another famous ancient Greek architect and philosopher Hippodames of Miletus, son of Euryphon , born in 498 BC As an urban planner, he showed his skill in drawing up the plan for the city of Thuria, as well as Piraeus and Rhodes. Participated in the rebuilding of Miletus after the Persian invasion.
Another outstanding architect of Ancient Greece - Pytheas. His most important work is the mausoleum at Helicarnassus. By order, he built the temple of Athena in Priene in 340-330 BC. Pytheas wrote scientific works on architectural theory, in which he described the advantages of the Ionic order.
Scopas originally from the island of Paros, born in 395 BC, was engaged in sculpture and architecture. A follower of the late classic style in ancient Greek art. He took part in the construction of the temple of Athena in Tegea and the mausoleum in Helicarnassus.

Architects of the Parthenon

The main Athenian temple in the Acropolis was created by several great architects for 16 years. One of them - architect Iktin who worked during the reign of Pericles. He developed a plan according to which they built