Neoclassical Architecture and Its Foundations

Neo-Classical Architecture and its Foundations Classical architecture is something that almost anyone can appreciate because there are traces of it everywhere. Greek and Roman cultures have had a major influence on today's architecture but it all stems from the classical architecture that was created centuries ago. The present example is Neoclassical Architecture which first appeared in 18th century France and in America, it was promoted by the legendary Thomas Jefferson as the Federal style. During the Neoclassical period, the ideas of balance, harmony, and idealism resurfaced and were once again popular. Now sit back and prepare to be taught a thing or two about architecture and where most of the main principles and ideas came from. Modern architects really owe the ancient Greeks a round of applause for making so many attributions and really laying down the foundations and concepts that are used today. Greek life was dominated by religion and so it only makes sense why they put so much time and energy into building some of the biggest and most beautiful temples. Their buildings had political purposes and were often built to celebrate civic power, or to offer their thanks to the patron God of a city for success in battle. The Greeks developed three architectural systems that wound up playing a large role in Neoclassical architecture. The systems, called orders, each have their own distinctive detailing and proportions. The Greek orders are: Dionic, Ionic, and Corinthian. These are all different styles of columns, which during this time period provided most of the structures support. However, later on in Neoclassicism , columns were used primarily for decorative purposes. The Doric style is the oldest and most sturdy, the column itself is thicker as well. The top part of the column is called the capital and is very plain, no decoration. This style was used in mainland Greece and in southern Italy and Sicily. The Parthenon, located on Acropolis in