Greek Architecture

Greek architecture has long been the standard that many civilizations have attempted to live up to. Being of such unique design in colonnade and building structure, famous Greek structures have been replicated and imitated for centuries. Even great empires as in Rome have attempted to adapt the infamous Greek style. Roman architecture, in terms of columns and structural supports, demonstrate the influence that the Greek culture had.

Of all the famous Greek structures, there is a common thread, colonnade, or columns. There are three classic styles of architectural pillars that were originated by the ancient Greeks: the Doric Column, the Ionic Column, and the Corinthian Column. Each one of these styles may be found in different famous structures, ranging anywhere from one of the most popular buildings in the world, the Parthenon, to less known buildings such as the temple of Apollo at Bassae.

Each style of Greek Column has its own unique style and architecture. The oldest and probably most widely used pillar, the Greek Doric Order, is the simplest of ancient colonnade. Not possessing a base, the Doric Column is designed with twenty flutes (grooves) that run from the bottom of the shaft to directly below the capital. The Doric cap is a simple disk with a square abacus resting on top. Being the first style of structural pillar the Greeks utilized, this design of column was widely used throughout the culture.

The direct ancestor of the Doric Column, was the Ionic Pillar. The Ionic architecture was known for its tendency to be more slender than its predecessor. Still possessing the design of flutes, the Ionic Column is differentiated by its decorative capital composed of volutes, or scrolls, and its use of an architectural base. Commonly believed to be “designed after the slenderness of a woman,” the Ionic column is often used in a more decorative fashion than Doric supports.

The most recent, and most decorative of all Greek pillars, is the Corinthian Column. The Corinthian style of architectural support is designed with the same style of shaft that the Ionic column has, but is noted by its unique capital. The Corinthian Capital is composed of three rows of Acanthus leaves and foliage that sit directly below scrolls propelling out at forty-five degree angles. This added capital decoration has a tendency to make the Corinthian column look the most slender and most ornate of all classic Greek colonnade.

Columns have been used since the beginning of architecture, but none have had the impact on modern culture and design like the classic Greek Orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian). Many civilizations have attempted to duplicate the classic styles, such as the Romans with their Tuscan and Composite styles of columns, but the older and more decorative Greek pillars continue to prevail as the most popular style of architecture and design.