Research Paper On Propylaea
The Propylaea is another sacred temple on the Acropolis and is known as the ‘gateway’ to the Acropolis hence its significant location at the front of the hill. This particular temple, made from the same materials as the Parthenon, was designed by Mnesikles and was built from 437BC to 432BC however the building was never completed. Every Acropolis needed a gateway; the previous gateway before the Persian wars was smaller and had a more defensive purpose because the Acropolis was the most fortified place of the city (due to being on a hill) and therefore needed a safe entrance in case of an emergency and people took refuge there. This is the first way in which the Propylaea related to its location; it had to be the fortified gateway to the safest place in the city which was on a hill. The new Propylaea had wings added and was more welcoming as a temple as well as being a gateway. In the Great Panatheniaea procession of the
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classical society, the people would have moved through the Propylaea into the rest of the Acropolis/sanctuary. The Propylaea is unique in that it is not dedicated to any god or goddess - it is purely to lead visitors up and onto the Acropolis...and in doing so to ensue that they were suitably amazed and impressed.
The Propylaea had to be built very securely because the treasury was on the Acropolis in the Parthenon – Mnesikles would have been influenced by this fact when designing the temple. There was a ramp built so that all the foot traffic would be funnelled onto one gently sloped ramp - Mnesikles had to do this because there needed to be easy access to the Propylaea because otherwise it would have been hard to climb up such a rough, steep physical environment.
The significance of this artwork for the ancient world was that it was the monumental gateway to the Acropolis (the world ‘Propylaea’ literally means ‘that which is before the gates’).
By examining the Propylaea, we can see clearly the way the architects have designed and created this particular temple to look aesthetically pleasing but also ‘fit’ its physical environment. This is because the Propylaea was built on a sloping hill (on the Acropolis rock) which caused complications for the architects who wanted to make all the temples on the Athens Acropolis look legendary. It also surrounds the natural entrance to the plateau so the location of the temple was very influential in the way it had to be installed.
The plan of this temple is T-shaped but with irregular dimensions due to the slope of the hill (however there were signs of possible dining areas to be built behind the wings which were never completed). This was one negative effect of the physical surroundings on the Propylaea. The ‘T’ was divided into the Eastern and Western halves with porches at each end. These antae (wings) were to balance each other as symmetry was very important to the ideals of Ancient Greek architecture. The porches had Doric columns and these were balanced by the three columns on the side wings (it was all about the harmony); the Eastern porch columns have similar proportions to the Parthenon. This shows how the architect tried to shape the temple not only by its physical environment but also the surrounding monuments. He wanted to create a visual link between the Parthenon and the Propylaea to make the entire Acropolis look like a whole – this is also why the Propylaea was built big enough to match the size of the Parthenon. The Eastern and Western halves had to be built on different levels because of the uneven hill which would have been a complex process. The Propylaea was the first monumental building in the classical period that was more complex than a simple rectangle/cylinder; this is what made it extremely significant for the people at the time as it was a reflection of the architectural advancements of that period.
Despite the fact that the Western end of the Acropolis was too steep, it was an appropriate place for the entrance to the Propylaea so the builders had to work around this problem.
Although the temple was never finished, the Northern wing is the most complete. Behind the columned façade there was a wall with a door and a window each side. Behind this was a room called the Pinakotheke. This was a picture gallery and a resting place for pilgrims. This wing was famous in antiquity as paintings of important Greek battles were held here. However, the Southern wing was problematic. As a temple that needed to look stunning and show off Athens as a leading world power, it was important it had symmetry. However due to the sacred site of the temple of Athena Nike being nearby, the architect could not build the Southern wing to the full size it needed to be to balance the Northern Wing because he could not cut into the sacred site. This is a problem that Mnesikles would have faced due to the physical surroundings of this temple’s site which also speaks about the ideals of the Ancient Greeks; religion was so important to them that they would not allow a temple to be built the best it could be simply because it was not meant to be in a sacred site. What we can admire however is the way the architect worked around this complication. He made both wings with identical facades to give the impression of matching sides. One of the antae (wings) had no wall built behind it giving the impression of a large building matching the Northern wing. In this way, the illusion of symmetry was still achieved. This is a great example of how the Propylaea was built around the problems of its physical environment while still maintaining its beauty.
Another way in which the architect was influenced by the physical environment of the Acropolis was that he had to build a ramp from the West side to the East side of the temple (up the slope) so that there was access for sacrificial animals who would not be able to climb up the rock. The long rectangular hallway of the Western portico has three ionic (more delicate style than Doric) columns flanking the ramp and is walled in. The Doric order metopes above the central door has three rather than two metopes to allow space for the ramp.
The Propylaea’s construction also has a symbolic influence. The physical rise of the temple is possibly meant to represent the idea of moving from the normal or mundane world to the sacred Acropolis. This is another way in which Mnesikles made the form of the temple on the slope of the hill fit its function as the ‘gateway’ to the Acropolis.
The effect of the 21st century technology and human intrusion have caused more damage to the Propylaea (and other temples in the Acropolis) than until then in history.
From being the leading port town in Ancient Greece, to a modern city with a growing population and constant traffic, the surroundings of the Propylaea have changed a lot since it was first installed. The fumes and pollution created by the traffic, factories and large tourist industry (who want to see the Acropolis) have worn down the surface of the rock and marble of the Propylaea. It was even damaged by the landing and taking off of aircraft (now forbidden to fly over the Acropolis). The marble has suffered chemical change at an alarming pace. Ways to solve this are being devised. Before the 2004 Olympic games in Athens (which would have affected the external surroundings), the Propylaea was shrouded in scaffolding as restoration work was undertaken. All scaffolding was removed in the end of 2009 and the building can now be fully viewed. The famous ceilings have been partly
restored.
The first steps have been lain for a wooden gangway through the Propylaea to exclude the public from structures flanking the Propylaea and the interior of the Parthenon.
Contemporary writers such as Pausanias and Demosthenes valued the Propylaea just as greatly as the Parthenon, naming it as one of Athens’ greatest monuments. One reason for this was the beauty in the way it elegantly works with its physical environment no matter how challenging the site was to build on at that time. This is important for us to appreciate. Even in its ruined state today, it still has the power to impress with its illusion of symmetry and ability to rise gently despite the two halves of the temple being on different levels due to the sloping hill.
classical society, the people would have moved through the Propylaea into the rest of the Acropolis/sanctuary. The Propylaea is unique in that it is not dedicated to any god or goddess - it is purely to lead visitors up and onto the Acropolis...and in doing so to ensue that they were suitably amazed and impressed.
The Propylaea had to be built very securely because the treasury was on the Acropolis in the Parthenon – Mnesikles would have been influenced by this fact when designing the temple. There was a ramp built so that all the foot traffic would be funnelled onto one gently sloped ramp - Mnesikles had to do this because there needed to be easy access to the Propylaea because otherwise it would have been hard to climb up such a rough, steep physical environment.
The significance of this artwork for the ancient world was that it was the monumental gateway to the Acropolis (the world ‘Propylaea’ literally means ‘that which is before the gates’).
By examining the Propylaea, we can see clearly the way the architects have designed and created this particular temple to look aesthetically pleasing but also ‘fit’ its physical environment. This is because the Propylaea was built on a sloping hill (on the Acropolis rock) which caused complications for the architects who wanted to make all the temples on the Athens Acropolis look legendary. It also surrounds the natural entrance to the plateau so the location of the temple was very influential in the way it had to be installed.
The plan of this temple is T-shaped but with irregular dimensions due to the slope of the hill (however there were signs of possible dining areas to be built behind the wings which were never completed). This was one negative effect of the physical surroundings on the Propylaea. The ‘T’ was divided into the Eastern and Western halves with porches at each end. These antae (wings) were to balance each other as symmetry was very important to the ideals of Ancient Greek architecture. The porches had Doric columns and these were balanced by the three columns on the side wings (it was all about the harmony); the Eastern porch columns have similar proportions to the Parthenon. This shows how the architect tried to shape the temple not only by its physical environment but also the surrounding monuments. He wanted to create a visual link between the Parthenon and the Propylaea to make the entire Acropolis look like a whole – this is also why the Propylaea was built big enough to match the size of the Parthenon. The Eastern and Western halves had to be built on different levels because of the uneven hill which would have been a complex process. The Propylaea was the first monumental building in the classical period that was more complex than a simple rectangle/cylinder; this is what made it extremely significant for the people at the time as it was a reflection of the architectural advancements of that period.
Despite the fact that the Western end of the Acropolis was too steep, it was an appropriate place for the entrance to the Propylaea so the builders had to work around this problem.
Although the temple was never finished, the Northern wing is the most complete. Behind the columned façade there was a wall with a door and a window each side. Behind this was a room called the Pinakotheke. This was a picture gallery and a resting place for pilgrims. This wing was famous in antiquity as paintings of important Greek battles were held here. However, the Southern wing was problematic. As a temple that needed to look stunning and show off Athens as a leading world power, it was important it had symmetry. However due to the sacred site of the temple of Athena Nike being nearby, the architect could not build the Southern wing to the full size it needed to be to balance the Northern Wing because he could not cut into the sacred site. This is a problem that Mnesikles would have faced due to the physical surroundings of this temple’s site which also speaks about the ideals of the Ancient Greeks; religion was so important to them that they would not allow a temple to be built the best it could be simply because it was not meant to be in a sacred site. What we can admire however is the way the architect worked around this complication. He made both wings with identical facades to give the impression of matching sides. One of the antae (wings) had no wall built behind it giving the impression of a large building matching the Northern wing. In this way, the illusion of symmetry was still achieved. This is a great example of how the Propylaea was built around the problems of its physical environment while still maintaining its beauty.
Another way in which the architect was influenced by the physical environment of the Acropolis was that he had to build a ramp from the West side to the East side of the temple (up the slope) so that there was access for sacrificial animals who would not be able to climb up the rock. The long rectangular hallway of the Western portico has three ionic (more delicate style than Doric) columns flanking the ramp and is walled in. The Doric order metopes above the central door has three rather than two metopes to allow space for the ramp.
The Propylaea’s construction also has a symbolic influence. The physical rise of the temple is possibly meant to represent the idea of moving from the normal or mundane world to the sacred Acropolis. This is another way in which Mnesikles made the form of the temple on the slope of the hill fit its function as the ‘gateway’ to the Acropolis.
The effect of the 21st century technology and human intrusion have caused more damage to the Propylaea (and other temples in the Acropolis) than until then in history.
From being the leading port town in Ancient Greece, to a modern city with a growing population and constant traffic, the surroundings of the Propylaea have changed a lot since it was first installed. The fumes and pollution created by the traffic, factories and large tourist industry (who want to see the Acropolis) have worn down the surface of the rock and marble of the Propylaea. It was even damaged by the landing and taking off of aircraft (now forbidden to fly over the Acropolis). The marble has suffered chemical change at an alarming pace. Ways to solve this are being devised. Before the 2004 Olympic games in Athens (which would have affected the external surroundings), the Propylaea was shrouded in scaffolding as restoration work was undertaken. All scaffolding was removed in the end of 2009 and the building can now be fully viewed. The famous ceilings have been partly
restored.
The first steps have been lain for a wooden gangway through the Propylaea to exclude the public from structures flanking the Propylaea and the interior of the Parthenon.
Contemporary writers such as Pausanias and Demosthenes valued the Propylaea just as greatly as the Parthenon, naming it as one of Athens’ greatest monuments. One reason for this was the beauty in the way it elegantly works with its physical environment no matter how challenging the site was to build on at that time. This is important for us to appreciate. Even in its ruined state today, it still has the power to impress with its illusion of symmetry and ability to rise gently despite the two halves of the temple being on different levels due to the sloping hill.