The Classical period was a 200 year period in Greek culture filled with war and conflict, but also achieved political and cultural accomplishments, from this Athens continued to dominate Greece politically, economically and culturally. The Parthenon is the most significant and surviving construction of all of Classical Greece, while continuing to remain as their international symbol. Despite its massive size the structure was built in only a 15 year time period ; 447-432 BC, costing 469 silver talents. The structure was originally designed to repair the previous temple that was destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC. In fact, two earlier temples had been previously built on this exact site, unfortunately both were destroyed by the Persians. (Kappraff, …show more content…
The two architects Iktinos and Kallikrates, constantly used breathtaking series of “optical refinements” in the proportions of this structure to make it appear perfectly regular and rectangular to the human eye. These optical illusions enhance the viewers awe while examining the structure and allows the building to appear more balanced and ordered contributing to the ideal form. These allusions allow the Parthenon to appear more symmetrical than it actually is, However, the inside of the Parthenon is entirely symmetrical. All vertical components of this structure such as the columns and roof faces actually lean inwards, in fact there are hardly no straight lines at all. If the Greeks had built the Parthenon with multiple straight lines due to its massive size the structure would be perceived as sagging. The architects are particularly famous for their idea of the Golden Ratio which is often considered to be the formula for beauty, which explains its perfect proportions, “9:4 This ratio governed the vertical and horizontal proportions of the temple as well as many other relationships of the building like the spacing between the columns and their height.” (The Parthenon, Page 1) This …show more content…
First and foremost the Parthenon was the largest structure to use a doric order design, which is the first style of classical architecture and set the standards for beauty, harmony and strength for all European architecture. Today, many political buildings are made from marble or a similar material further representing wealth while friezes today are heavily decorated the same way as the Parthenon's. From the White House in Washington DC to ancient temples in Rome, it is very common for a town's local library, museum or court house to be influenced from the Parthenon. The Greeks having the first true form of democracy which America has later adapted for their capital buildings. The Parthenon was an expression and symbol of Athenian wealth and successes. Ancient Greek architecture had very distinct characteristics and details, explaining why so many countries then and now continue to resemble famous Greek architecture, “Ancient Greek temples featured proportional design, columns, friezes, and pediments, usually decorated with sculpture in
Recall the ancient Greeks and the sculptor Phidias, who created the row of sculptures that sit above the columns of the Parthenon. The Parthenon, built in 447 to 438 BC, is in Athens, Greece. The Greeks used the Golden Ratio, which they called the Golden Section, as the basis for the design of the Parthenon as it created a balance in the design.
After learning more about these two buildings, I discovered that the Romans were “inspired” by Greek architecture. The columns used in both are common to Greek architecture. Based on the photos that were viewed from online searches, it appears that the Romans were more ornate during the construction of their temple which can be seen by their choice of building materials, such as marble. The Parthenon seems to have had more simple lines. It was rectangular in shape as opposed to the Pantheon that was rounded in many areas, particularly where the sculptures of the gods were. This was to lend to the idea that they were on the same level and that no god was given more preferential treatment since the Pantheon was to honor all of them equally. The structures resemble one another in that they both have those ominous columns as a way to emphasize the dominion the gods had over the
During Classical Greece the Parthenon was built as temple to the Goddess Athena, as symbol of the state’s wealth and superiority, along with serving as the treasury. The architecture uses a bit of both Doric and Ionic orders. On the outside rim of the temple Doric columns, triglyphs and metopes are used but on the inside of the temple Ionic friezes were used. Both the metopes and friezes were completely filled with painted sculptures depicting the gods, Athenians, and conquered enemies. The themes center on gods or Athenians being victorious over chorus. One of the main stories shown in the Parthenon is the story of the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena being chosen as the patron Goddess of Athens over the Sea God, Poseidon. Poseidon was a war god who offered the people a beautiful but useless saltwater spring while Athena offered an olive tree. The people of Athens choose the olive tree symbolizing their culture valuing peace and prosperity over the chorus of war. The Parthenon also shows the Ancient Greeks value in mathematics and idealized perfection. The columns were carved to bulge slightly as well as tilting inwards, which creates the illusion that the columns were both straighter and taller than they were. Other illusions they used to give the appearance of perfection included arching in the middle just enough to ensure what would not pull and stop the eye from seeing the ends of the steps rise. Ancient Greeks valued their gods, perfection, mathematics, wealth and
The very basis of American architecture, as displayed by the monuments on buildings in Washington DC, has its very roots in classical Greek architecture. Many of the most distinct and easily recognizable buildings in our capital have roots of Greek architecture. Although many Americans think that they do not know or have not seen Greek architecture, most have. Greek architecture does not only influence our capital, but also many of our major cities, as well as buildings in our local towns. The widespread use of Greek architecture is an acclaim to the magnificent style of the architecture.
The Parthenon was built to honor the goddess of wisdom, Athena. When structures are built using straight lines they tend to look slightly distorted due to the science of optics. The architects Iktos and Kallikretes were skilled architects of their time and they used illusory tactics to create an ideal aesthetic for The Parthenon. The architects compensated for these visual illusions by counteracting them in their design. The end result is a structure that is not composed of straight lines, but when viewed by the human eye, looks perfectly straight. Plato would have mentioned one of his famous dictums, ?That which changes least is most real.? He would have viewed Iktos and Kallikretes designs as less real than other designs that do not u...
Brief History Though the Persian wars were possibly over before the Parthenon was being considered, the wars played a vital role for Athens and her temples. During the wars, the armies of Persia attacked Athens and sacked the city leaving much of it in ruins, including the new temple in honour of Athene atop the Acropolis that was under construction. During the struggle, many of the states in Greece joined together to fight against the Persians and decided that they should not rebuild any of the temples that had been destroyed by the Persians to have an eternal memory of the devastation they caused and the lack of respect they have for religion. The once impressive city of Athens was reduced to dust, with small basic houses and nothing really imposing.
The Pantheon and the Parthenon are two of the most influential building in history. They share some basic styles, pillars, pediment and frieze, even though they share these elements they are vastly different on each building. The Pantheon shows how with the advancement in technology bigger, stronger thing can be built. The Greeks however show great craftsmanship in the Parthenon, with its carvings and reliefs. The fact that these building are standing today is a testament to genius of both the Romans and the Greeks
Cultures are often opaque due to its dense and rich nature as the collective foundation of a civilization. Due to the complexity of cultures, not every angle of ideologies of the society can possibly be clearly condensed into words, therefore visual representations are often times used to reflect the major sociocultural motifs. In Ancient Athens, the Parthenon was an architectural phenomenon built around mid 5th century that represented the integrity and cultural values of being an Athenian. Prior to the existence of the Parthenon, the Persians raided the acropolis and Pre-Parthenon in 480 BC, causing Athenians to pledge to defeat the Persians before rebuilding the fallen temple. The elevated acropolis continuously showcased the ruins of the
The foundation of Greek culture was balance, reason, and harmony which can be unveiled in their art. As the civilization heavily revolved around religion, massive temples were built to serve the Gods. Greeks believed in many Gods, meaning they had polytheistic views . This notion of polytheism passed down to the Romans who adopted nearly the exact same deities and built similar architecture as well. One of the most famous buildings of worship was the Greek Parthenon built around 447-432 B.C.E, worshipping the goddess Athena . While building these brilliant pieces of art, concepts regarding laws and the natural world from philosophers were being incorporated in the structure. Pillars were often built in temples and various buildings in both Greek and Roman cultures. Doric, ionic, and Corinthian stand as the main three pillars built; each of them becomes increasingly more elaborate by order. For example, the Corinthian was the most intricate. Romans quickly developed a taste for this form of architecture and incorporated into theirs later on. The Romans however were very inventive, and began to develop the arch, vault and dome to add to what they emulated from the Greeks. Using these elements the Romans built what is known as the Coliseum, built over a 10 year span from around 70 AD to 80 AD. The Coliseum was said to hold 50,000 spectators and was used for entertainment
The Parthenon is an amazing Greek temple that was built 2,500 years ago. Even the architects of today have numerous questions about how it was constructed and how it has held up through its eventful past. The Parthenon's detailed appearance is not its only meaningful quality. The Parthenon was constructed as a temple to the goddess, Athena, and as an icon of the Greek people themselves. The Parthenon represents the Greek ideals of humanism, idealism, and rationalism.
The Doric order were rather sturdy and the top of the column was very plain. The Doric order was mainly seen in the mainland of Greece and in colonies in Southern Italy and Sicily. The Ancient Greeks were not the only ones to use the Doric order. A very famous building, that the Doric order column was used to construct the Parthenon. The Parthenon is actually a temple to dedicate the Goddess Athena. The Parthenon was built around the 5th century B....
The Parthenon was built during the Golden age in Athens, Greece. The Parthenon is made of mainly columns; there is a 9:4 ratio. It was almost destroyed in war; the ruins that remained were dedicated to Athena. The purpose of the Parthenon was to house the statue of Athena, made of ivory and gold, and also Athena’s treasure. The ratios and the equations used to make the Parthenon were used as a sign of the harmony in the natural world around us. The mathematical harmony in the world shows how we can work with the world rather than destroy to make it what we want. The Parthenon also has no straight lines. The columns of the Parthenon are angled going up getting smaller the higher they get. This was done so that you could get the best lighting
Have you ever seen or visited the Capital building, Washington or amphitheater of Arlinton, Virginia or Cabin John bridge of Washington aqueduct? If an answer is yes, then have you ever think that how we come up with this type of buildings? These all buildings’ basic structures are based on the Greek and Roman cultures’ architecture. Historical records of Western culture in Europe begin with Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Roman culture was very inspired from the Greece culture and they had used very basic ideas to build buildings and temples, to portrait sculpture. They modernized and improved their architectures and sculptures in decorative way and made a separate image in the world.
Destroyed by the Persians, the Erechtheion was unavoidably built on an uneven terrain. What makes this temple unique is its asymmetrical design. It was very uncommon for Greek structures to be asymmetrical but being built off of the old archaic temple remains the Erechtheion housed preexisting shrines. Not only is the terrain unique but also on the Acropolis the Erechtheion sits directly across from the Doric Parthenon. The opposing styles appear to be intentional by the architect.
Even today the ideas and formulas of Greek architecture influence present day architects. When you think of Roman architecture, you think of the arch but even then they used the Imperial Motif to decorate their buildings. The Imperial Motif is the art of trabeation on arcuated architecture. The architecture of Ancient Greece will continue to influence the architecture of today and tomorrow.