Soteria+Gekas3

=Ancient Greek Architecture & Greek Revival in North America=

Project #2 Design & Context
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The Acropolis Rock Homes Eleven of Greece's Most Famous Buildings Such As the Notably Famous Parthenon, Erechtheion, Propylaea, Temple of Athena Nike, The Old Temple of Athena, Brauronion, Temple of Rome & Augustus, Pedestal of Agrippa, Beule Gate, Acropolis Fortication Wall, Chalkotheke.



__The Parthenon Athens, Greece__ This Temple was dedicated to the goddess Athena. As you can see the decorative stone work and it was originally rich in red, blue, gold colors. __Dimensions__ Base: 228.0 x 101.4 ft Ceiling: 97.8 ft x 63.0 ft wide 46 Outer Pillars 19 Inner Pillars

The Greeks are most famous for using a variety of columns in buildings to hold and support the roofs of the temples. There was an order to Greek Architecture Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Greek Architects mostly used Doric because it was considered as a sophisticated design, and also they used Ionic to be more fun, and relaxed. Corinthian columns were seen in Ancient Rome's Architecture. Ancient Greek and Roman Architecture used a waterproof roof covering (imbrices and tegulae) which is overlapping roof tiles.

Common Materials used for Greek Architecture were: Wood, Unbaked Bricks, Limestone, Marble, Columns, Terracotta, and Bronze Paint.

Greek Revival Architecture is the style American Architects adapted imitating Greek Monument Design. Thomas Jefferson, was the first person to appoint an Architect by the name of Benjamin Latrobe to design many of the important buildings we know of today. One example is the United States Capitol.



Can't afford a ticket to go overseas? Try This! A full-scale Parthenon Replica as it was in Ancient Greece. Built in 1897 Nashville Tennessee. It is the centerpiece of Centennial Park it was part of the Centennial Art Exposition, downtown Nashville. Inside there is an exact replica of the statue Athena.



In comparison to the Parthenon of Acropolis, the Lincoln Memorial is monument in washington dc, us, that could relate to the Greek temple more closely than any others. The columns are the Greek Doric form. As the parthenon had a statue of Athena inside, The sculpture of Abraham Lincoln is inside the 'Lincoln' memorial.

Paper-Final Draft
From The High City To This Land Is Your Land

In Greek, Parthenon means “virgin or maiden” and Acropolis “means high city, Sacred Rock.” Athena was the protectress of the city of Athens. The main function of the Parthenon was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena which was made of gold and ivory. Hence, the Parthenon was a temple for the greek maiden, Athena which rests high above in the city of Athens. It is the most important building of Classical Greece. It is representative of the ancient Greek world, a tribute to the Athenian democracy and inspiration to the rest of the world.

The Parthenon is the most famous of the Greek temples in Athens and is perhaps also one the most beautiful ever erected by man. The original temple was built of limestone but when the Persians invaded determined to conquer Greece, they destroyed that temple in 480 BC and for a very long time it remained very much a war memorial. It was many generations later that it was decided to rebuild the temple bigger and better than ever before. Two famous architects Kallikrates and Iktinos and the sculptor, Pheidias were enlisted to rebuild the Parthenon. This time the structure would be made of entirely of marble, which was transported from a nearby area. The Parthenon was built partly on bedrock and part on a bedding of stone so that foundation would be flexible to sustain an earthquake. There are eight columns at the façade and seventeen columns at the flanks. The front of the temple would display the Elgin Marbles. The intricacy and refinement required such precision such that it would be a challenge even in our time to construct.

The architecture was of the Doric style, defined as simple and strong, the opposite of its fancier counterparts like the Ionic or Corinthian styles. Doric columns have no base so it sits on the floor. At the top there is what is known as the “capital” then a square block under the roof called the “architrave”. On the architrave there are trigylphs and metopes carved out. The triglyphs are thin bands of stone that separate the panels which are the metopes.

All temples in Greece were designed to be seen only from the outside. Spectators never entered the temple and could only glimpse the interior statues through open doors. The Parthenon was designed so that aesthetic elements would allow a smooth and natural flow between the exterior and interior that housed the colossal statue of Athena. It is said that the planners of the Parthenon intentionally designed it to be a theatrical event. It is interesting to acknowledge that most Greek temples were typically used a treasury.

Throughout the ages there have been many wars, invasions and occupations and as such the uses of the temple has varied. During the 6th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a Christian church. Then came the Ottoman Invasion and was subsequently converted into a mosque during the 1460. In 1687, the Ottomans were using the building as a powder house storing their ammunitions. That was until the Venetians came along and blew up the entire building.

The explosion severely crippled the Parthenon and its sculptures. During 1806, a man by the name of Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin, struck a deal with the Ottomans and he was given the right to remove what remained of the surviving sculptures. Theses sculptures became known as the Elgin Marbles or Parthenon Marbles and were sold in 1816 to the British Museum in London where they still presently housed. Today, the Greek government is committed to the return of these marbles. Mr. Evangelos Venizelos, the Minister of Greek Culture stated "The request for the return of the Parthenon Marbles is not made merely by the Greek nation or in the name of history, but in the name of the World's Cultural Heritage. Indeed, until restitution is made, the mutilated monument will be seen as a sad reproach to that heritage. These missing marbles are truly a part of Greece birthright and defining symbol of its culture and democracy.

The Parthenon is symbolic of religion, art and politics. Here in America, our Constitution is based on the idea of a separation of Church and State. I suppose our founding fathers saw what a dominant presence religion had in the European world and did the exact opposite and has since worked out for America.

As far as the design elements and political importance, Greek revival dominated American architecture during the period of 1818-1850. It was could be considered the first national style in the United States, which can be found in all regions of the country.

The popularity of the style was its direct correlation with classical traditions and democracy. Buildings built during the first and second half of the 19th century which used the Greek revival style included houses such as those in found in Louisberg Square in Boston, commercial buildings such as Quincy Market, government buildings such as the Customs House in New York, the Customs House in Boston, the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., the US Capitol Building. Particularly impressive is the Lincoln Memorial which is surrounded by thirty six columns representing the number of states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. What I found to be most impressive was an exact replica of the Parthenon exists in Nashville Tennessee in Centennial Park, which serves as Nashville art museum.

In conclusion, architecture has linked our nations, our principles our cultures. Democracy was arguably the epitome of the Athenian philosophy and through simple styles one can associate key principles through the use of particular designs no matter where in the world it may be located. The Greek people were proud of the cultural identity and conscious of the historical significance of their ideas and this is the reason why its styles have transcended into beacon of inspiration for nations across our globe.

Project (2) Powerpoint Presentation