Altar Of Zeus Vs Parthenon Analysis

The architecture of a civilization is a window into its values and intended legacy. Greek religious architectural feats are often tied to expressing strength and power, which honor the gods. The Parthenon, built by Iktinos and Kalikrates, honors the legacy of Athens through divine allegory. So too does the The Altar of Zeus, a hellenistic temple from the Turkish city of Pergamon, embellish the city’s own prowess. Understanding the basis for this architecture is informative about the ways in which both cities intended to . Though the two buildings similarly celebrate their military victories and power, the Altar of Zeus is a transformation from the Parthenon’s adherence to classical architectural canon to a more dynamic and interactive
Built in the classical period, the Athenian Parthenon is an idealistic canon of proportions for doric Greek temples. To the viewer, the stylobate appeared perfectly straight, and columns evenly spaced. In reality, this seeming perfection is the result of optical illusion. To classical Athenians, creating a temple that appeared to have prefect symmetry the ultimate human achievement.But while the Parthenon sets an idealistic standard for architecture, the Hellenistic Altar of Zeus instead inverts these structural elements and departs from this established canon. In classical greek temples, the altar always remained outside the temple. But at Pergamon, the Altar is inside the temple itself. This shows a dynamic shift in the way Greek religious spaces are to be used. Temples are not just idealized homes for the gods to be admired from afar, but are meant for worshipers to inhabit and interact with directly. Despite the structural differences of both buildings, they maintain similar goals in celebrating the gods as well as their own