Greek Architectural Influence
New York, the city that never sleeps, the lights, the people, and the buildings. You go to the city and you see all these amazing structures, but where did they come from. If you look at the some of the buildings in New York City, and look at the buildings from Ancient Greece you can see a pretty clear resemblance. The influence on the architecture in the world today came from those first major architectural accomplishments made by the Greeks.
From the times of 600 BCE- 600 CE, classical civilizations have existed throughout the world. Classical civilizations are civilizations that had a significant impact on the world today. One of the classical civilizations that had a major impact on the word we live in was Greece. Classical Greece came …show more content…
to power in 1750 BC and fell in 133 BC. During those times classical Greece made many impacts on the modern world through architecture and many other accomplishments of its golden age. Architecture in classical Greece was used to promote balance through columns and the parthenon.
Major impacts from architecture come from the buildings that the ancient Greeks made. “The Greeks believed in beauty, balance, and order in the universe. Greek art and architecture reflected those things.” (Prentice Hall Brief Review, 15). Greek architecture included columns, theaters, stadiums, and symmetrical temples. (Mark, Catwright, Greek Architecture) Greek wanted everything to be symmetrical because it represented beauty, balance, and order. Columns were evenly placed from the center of a building to the outside. All their buildings were symmetrical and were ornate in any ways. “Buildings, monuments, and even houses have always borrowed ideas from some of Greece’s most famous landmarks throughout history, and as time goes on, the thoughts used for these once-traditional structures have begun to take a turn for the contemporary.”(Jonathan Bliangas, Greek Getaway).
Columns are a vertical element in architecture. They usually have a rounded shape, have a base or a capital and are used for support. Most columns often had a simple shape but were heavily decorated. (“Columns”, Britannica). “Columns may be rectangular, circular, or polygonal in shape; they may taper toward the top or be of uniform diameter.” (“Columns”, Britannica) In the modern world columns can be made of iron, steel, or concrete and are simply designed. Ancient Greeks were the first to invent and use columns to help provide support for structures. Columns can be see all throughout the world today. Some buildings that use columns are The Lincoln Memorial In Washington D.C., The New York Stock Exchange, The Pantheon in Rome, Reichstag in Berlin, The National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Temple of Nike in Greece. Columns have had a huge impact on the world since the first time they were used in Greece.
One of the most prominent pieces of architecture from Greece is the Parthenon.
“The parthenon is a temple to the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena. In the nineteenth century, the Parthenon became a symbol of honesty,heroism, and civic virtue of the highest ideals in art and politics, a model for national monuments, government building, and even homes.” (Marilyn Stokstad, 149). The Parthenon was at the top of the acropolis, a citadel or a complex built on a high hill, in Athens, so everyone in the city was able to see it. “The Parthenon was large in every dimension, built entirely of fine marble” (Marilyn Stokstad, 150). “The classical Parthenon was constructed between 447-432 BCE to be the focus of the Acropolis building complex. The architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates (Vitruvius also names Karpion as an architect) and it was dedicated to the goddess Athena Pallas or Parthenos (virgin). The temple’s main function was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena that was made by Pheidias out of gold and ivory.” (“The Parthenon”, Ancient-Greece.org) The Parthenon is important in today’s world because buildings are modeled after it, and helping shape America’s government. “Nineteenth-century Americans their democratic, mercantile culture by adapting the Parthenon’s form to government, business, and even domestic buildings.” (Marilyn Stokstad,
149).
As classical Greek culture burgeoned so did its buildings. The construction of stadiums, theaters, and temples reflected the preference for balance and symmetry. This design is seen through the use of columns. The Greeks developed three orders of columns, designed not only as structural support systems, but as a decorative element. One of the most famous structures exhibiting this design is the Parthenon. The design of this temple was replicated and used in many modern buildings, such as the Lincoln Memorial and The Pantheon. Therefore, the architecture in classical Greece shaped modern building construction.
From the times of 600 BCE- 600 CE, classical civilizations have existed throughout the world. Classical civilizations are civilizations that had a significant impact on the world today. One of the classical civilizations that had a major impact on the word we live in was Greece. Classical Greece came …show more content…
to power in 1750 BC and fell in 133 BC. During those times classical Greece made many impacts on the modern world through architecture and many other accomplishments of its golden age. Architecture in classical Greece was used to promote balance through columns and the parthenon.
Major impacts from architecture come from the buildings that the ancient Greeks made. “The Greeks believed in beauty, balance, and order in the universe. Greek art and architecture reflected those things.” (Prentice Hall Brief Review, 15). Greek architecture included columns, theaters, stadiums, and symmetrical temples. (Mark, Catwright, Greek Architecture) Greek wanted everything to be symmetrical because it represented beauty, balance, and order. Columns were evenly placed from the center of a building to the outside. All their buildings were symmetrical and were ornate in any ways. “Buildings, monuments, and even houses have always borrowed ideas from some of Greece’s most famous landmarks throughout history, and as time goes on, the thoughts used for these once-traditional structures have begun to take a turn for the contemporary.”(Jonathan Bliangas, Greek Getaway).
Columns are a vertical element in architecture. They usually have a rounded shape, have a base or a capital and are used for support. Most columns often had a simple shape but were heavily decorated. (“Columns”, Britannica). “Columns may be rectangular, circular, or polygonal in shape; they may taper toward the top or be of uniform diameter.” (“Columns”, Britannica) In the modern world columns can be made of iron, steel, or concrete and are simply designed. Ancient Greeks were the first to invent and use columns to help provide support for structures. Columns can be see all throughout the world today. Some buildings that use columns are The Lincoln Memorial In Washington D.C., The New York Stock Exchange, The Pantheon in Rome, Reichstag in Berlin, The National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Temple of Nike in Greece. Columns have had a huge impact on the world since the first time they were used in Greece.
One of the most prominent pieces of architecture from Greece is the Parthenon.
“The parthenon is a temple to the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena. In the nineteenth century, the Parthenon became a symbol of honesty,heroism, and civic virtue of the highest ideals in art and politics, a model for national monuments, government building, and even homes.” (Marilyn Stokstad, 149). The Parthenon was at the top of the acropolis, a citadel or a complex built on a high hill, in Athens, so everyone in the city was able to see it. “The Parthenon was large in every dimension, built entirely of fine marble” (Marilyn Stokstad, 150). “The classical Parthenon was constructed between 447-432 BCE to be the focus of the Acropolis building complex. The architects were Iktinos and Kallikrates (Vitruvius also names Karpion as an architect) and it was dedicated to the goddess Athena Pallas or Parthenos (virgin). The temple’s main function was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena that was made by Pheidias out of gold and ivory.” (“The Parthenon”, Ancient-Greece.org) The Parthenon is important in today’s world because buildings are modeled after it, and helping shape America’s government. “Nineteenth-century Americans their democratic, mercantile culture by adapting the Parthenon’s form to government, business, and even domestic buildings.” (Marilyn Stokstad,
149).
As classical Greek culture burgeoned so did its buildings. The construction of stadiums, theaters, and temples reflected the preference for balance and symmetry. This design is seen through the use of columns. The Greeks developed three orders of columns, designed not only as structural support systems, but as a decorative element. One of the most famous structures exhibiting this design is the Parthenon. The design of this temple was replicated and used in many modern buildings, such as the Lincoln Memorial and The Pantheon. Therefore, the architecture in classical Greece shaped modern building construction.