Greek temples were awe-inspiring structures built to honor the gods. These architectural marvels evolved from simple wooden structures to grand stone edifices, incorporating distinctive elements like columns, entablatures, and pediments.
The temples showcased three main architectural orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Each order had unique characteristics, from the simple Doric to the ornate Corinthian, reflecting the cultural and artistic values of ancient Greek civilization.
Origins of Greek temples
Greek temples were religious structures built to honor the gods and house cult statues
Evolved from earlier Mycenaean megaron halls and were influenced by Egyptian and Near Eastern architecture
Early temples were made of wood and mud brick, later replaced by stone for greater permanence and grandeur
Architectural elements of temples
Columns in Greek temples
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Columns supported the roof and created a peristyle (colonnade) around the cella (main room)
Three main styles: Doric (simple, fluted), Ionic (scroll-like volutes on capital), and Corinthian (elaborate leaf designs on capital)
Columns were typically made of stacked stone drums with a capital on top and a base at the bottom
Spacing and proportions of columns varied by order and over time (Doric columns were stockier, Ionic more slender)
Entablatures of temples
refers to the horizontal elements above the columns, consisting of the architrave, , and cornice
Architrave is the lowest part, a simple beam resting on the column capitals
Frieze is the middle section, often decorated with sculptural reliefs (Doric frieze had triglyphs and metopes, Ionic frieze was continuous)
Cornice is the projecting top part, often with ornamental moldings, that sheds rainwater away from the building
Pediments and roofs
Pediments are the triangular gables at the ends of the roof, formed by the sloping roof and the cornice
Often decorated with sculptural scenes (e.g. pediments depicted the birth of Athena and the contest between Athena and Poseidon)
Roofs were gently sloped and covered with terracotta or tiles
were sculptural ornaments placed at the apex and corners of the pediments (e.g. Nike figures, palmettes, etc.)
Cella or naos
Cella (also called naos) is the main interior room of the temple that housed the of the deity
Usually divided into a front porch (pronaos), the cella proper, and a back room (opisthodomos) used as a treasury
Proportions of the cella to the surrounding colonnade varied (e.g. Parthenon had a large cella with a double row of columns inside)
Cella had few windows and was lit mainly by the open doorway and roof openings, creating a mysterious atmosphere
Greek temple typology
Peripteral vs prostyle temples
Peripteral temples have columns on all four sides (e.g. Parthenon, )
Prostyle temples have columns only on the front (e.g. )
Amphiprostyle temples have columns on both the front and back, but not the sides
Number of columns varied (e.g. Parthenon was octastyle with 8 columns on the front)
Dipteral temples
Dipteral temples have a double row of columns all around (e.g. )
Pseudodipteral temples have a single row of columns with the spacing of a dipteral temple (e.g. Temple of Olympian Zeus in )
Allowed for a grander scale and more spacious interior
Circular tholos temples
Tholos temples are circular structures with a colonnade all around (e.g. )
Usually smaller than rectangular temples and used for special functions like housing an eternal flame
Interior cella was also circular, sometimes with a ring of columns inside (e.g. )
Architectural orders
Doric order temples
Oldest and simplest of the orders, developed in the 7th century BCE
Characterized by fluted columns without bases, plain capitals, and a frieze with triglyphs and metopes
Proportions were stocky and masculine, conveying strength and solidity
Examples include the Parthenon, Temple of Hephaestus, and Temple of Apollo at Corinth
Ionic order temples
Developed in the 6th century BCE in Ionia (modern-day Turkey)
Characterized by slender fluted columns with scroll-like volute capitals and a continuous frieze
More elegant and feminine proportions, conveying grace and refinement
Examples include the in Athens, Temple of Athena Nike, and Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
Corinthian order temples
Latest order, developed in the 5th century BCE but not widely used until the Hellenistic and Roman periods
Characterized by slender fluted columns and elaborate capitals with acanthus leaf designs
Considered the most ornate and luxurious of the orders
Rare in the , but an early example is the
Construction of Greek temples
Materials used
Early temples used wood (elm, oak, sandalwood) and mud brick, with terracotta roof tiles
Stone became the primary material in the 7th century BCE, first limestone and then marble
Marble allowed for finer details and a lustrous white appearance (e.g. used in the Parthenon)
Other materials included ivory and gold for cult statues, bronze for decoration
Building techniques
Stones were cut and transported from local quarries (e.g. Pentelikon quarry for the Parthenon)
Blocks were precisely cut and fitted without mortar, held together by iron clamps and dowels
Columns were built up from cylindrical drums stacked and pegged together
Wooden cranes, pulleys, and ramps were used to lift and position heavy blocks
Optical refinements were used to correct visual illusions (e.g. columns slightly swollen in the middle, curved upwards)
Decoration and sculpture
Metopes and triglyphs
Metopes are the square panels between the triglyphs in a Doric frieze
Often decorated with relief sculptures depicting mythological scenes or battles (e.g. Centauromachy, Amazonomachy, Trojan War)
Triglyphs are the vertical grooved elements separating the metopes, representing the ends of wooden beams
Typical Doric frieze alternates triglyphs and metopes all around the temple
Pediment sculptures
Pediments provided a large triangular space for sculptural decoration
Depicted important mythological scenes related to the temple's deity or the city
Figures were carved in high relief or fully in the round, often interacting dynamically across the space
Famous examples include the Parthenon pediments (birth of Athena, contest between Athena and Poseidon) and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia (chariot race between Pelops and Oinomaos)
Acroteria ornaments
Acroteria are the sculptural ornaments placed at the apex and corners of the pediments
Typically depicted mythological figures, animals, or floral designs
Apex acroteria were often larger and more elaborate than the corner ones
Examples include Nike figures, sphinxes, griffins, palmettes, and acanthus leaves
Acroteria added visual interest to the roofline and helped disguise the roof joints
Famous Greek temples
Parthenon in Athens
Dedicated to Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), built 447-432 BCE
Iconic example of the , with 8x17 columns and elaborate sculptural decoration
Housed a colossal gold and ivory statue of Athena by Phidias
Converted into a church and later a mosque, badly damaged in a 17th-century explosion
Sculptures taken by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and now housed in the British Museum
Temple of Hephaestus
Best-preserved Doric temple, located in the Athenian Agora, built 449-415 BCE
Dedicated to Hephaestus, god of metalworking and craftsmanship
Hexastyle (6 columns on the front) and peripteral, with 13 columns on the sides
Frieze depicts the labors of Heracles and Theseus, Attic heroes and symbols of virtue
Later used as a Greek Orthodox church, which helped ensure its preservation
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Largest temple in Greece, located in Athens, built in the 6th century BCE but not completed until the 2nd century CE under Hadrian
Dedicated to Zeus Olympios (Zeus of Olympus), king of the gods
Colossal in scale, with 8x20 columns and a length of over 350 feet
One of the few examples of the in Greece (other than the Olympieion in Athens)
Influenced the design of many subsequent Roman temples
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, located in Ephesus (modern-day Turkey)
Dedicated to Artemis, goddess of the hunt and fertility
First built in the 6th century BCE, rebuilt several times after destruction by fire and flood
Largest known Greek temple, with 8x20 columns in the dipteral arrangement
Influenced the development of Ionic architecture and inspired many later temples
Influence on later architecture
Roman temple architecture
Romans adapted Greek temple forms and orders, but with distinct modifications
Temples often built on high podia with frontal staircases, emphasizing axiality and frontality
Etruscan elements like deep porches and wide intercolumniations were incorporated
Engaged columns and pilasters used to articulate walls, blending Greek and Etruscan traditions
Pantheon in Rome is a famous example of Roman innovation, with its huge concrete dome and oculus
Revival in Neoclassical architecture
Greek temples were rediscovered and idealized during the Renaissance and Enlightenment
Neoclassical architects of the 18th-19th centuries imitated and adapted Greek forms for new contexts
Greek Revival style was popular for public buildings, churches, and mansions in Europe and America
Examples include the British Museum, the U.S. Capitol, and the Lincoln Memorial
Helped establish the Greek temple as an enduring symbol of democracy, learning, and high culture