| The
Minoan Civilization (1800-1300 BC) |
|
The Minoans had a civilization that prospered on the island of Crete. This period is the first known from an architectural point of view. The most famous architectonical achievement of this period is definitely the impressive Palace of Knossos, which is also the best preserved building of Knossos. The palace is situated on a hill, surrounded by pine forests and with an easy access to the sea.
As is evident by the remains and the lack of defensive walls, it seems that the Minoans had peaceful relations with the other Aegean civilizations.
Around the Palace are located many residential buildings, such as the little palace, the Royal Villa and the South House, which form the large city of Knossos. It seems that the city was built giving a great importance to space.
The Palace is divided in two courts: the west wing, where you can visit the religious and official staterooms, and the East Wing, which was used for domestic and workshop purposes. Scientists have found the wonderful frescoes of Knossos almost untouched, under layers of ash, which leads them to believe that the destruction of the Minoan town of Knossos is probably connected to the huge volcanic eruption of Santorini in about 1450 BC.
| The
Mycenaean Architecture (1300-1000 BC) |
|
The Mycenaean architecture is completely different from the Minoan. As the architecture of a city follows the need of civilization, the Mycenaeans had a tendency for war. They built compact citadels, orderly plan and fortified by huge walls. These walls took the name of |Cyclopean" because people thought that only Cyclopes could lift the huge stones to build them. The Mycenae Palace was found destroyed and the only remains to see are walls and tombs.
The most important monuments of the site are: the Palace, the wall-painted "cult centre", the Lion Gate and "Grave Circle A" which contained the treasures.
|
 |
sacred site of the Acropolis, Athens. This is the most brilliant
example of Doric architecture and it has the reputation of the most perfectly angle calculated temple. Apart from Doric architecture, the Parthenon also has elements of the Ionian style.
The temple was built in the 5th century BC by Ictinus and Callicrates, with the collaboration of sculptor Phedias, and after the order of Pericles.
The temple of Parthenon stands on the conventional three steps and has two cellar rooms with porches of six columns. Inside the temple, colonnades and a huge ivory and golden statue of the goddess Athena were creating an awesome scenery.
According to archaeologists, the temple's ceiling was made of wood and covered with painted decorations.
Other examples of Doric architecture were the temple of Hera in Olympia. the temple of Hephaestus in Ancient Agora and the temple of Poseidon in Sounion Attica. The characteristic of the Doric style is the austerity of the building.
The Ionic order is much different from the austere Doric style. It has an ornamented necking, a base in several tiers and more
flutes. The Ionic style is much more graceful than the heavy Doric architecture.
One of the best examples of this order is the Temple of Athena Nike at the Acropolis of Athens. This is the earliest Ionic temple built on the Acropolis. Another famous example is the Erechtheion, opposite the Parthenon. This is the temple where the famous Caryatids stand and support the heavy roof.
The Ionic style has much influenced the Neoclassical architecture, as it is more elegant and permitted more artistic freedoms to the artist.
Most temples of Ionic order were constructed in Asia Minor, called Ionia those times, from where the name of the order came from. In fact, the name of the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was of this style.
|
|
order was mostly used by the Romans. One of the most interesting examples of the Corinthian architecture is the Roman temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens.
This temple was an enormous structure of 104 columns of 17 meters high.
Today, only 15 of these columns are still standing, as this was one of the least popular style in the ancient times.
The Romans were much inspired by the ancient Greek architecture. This alliance gave birth to many buildings, fountains, gymnasiums, public baths, temples and theatres that were built that time. One of the best examples is the Roman Agora in Athens, at the foot of the Acropolis. Another example is the theatre of Herodes Atticus and the famous Arch of Hadrian, in the centre of Athens.
| The
Byzantine Architecture |
|
The Byzantine period gave rise to the incredible amount of churches in Greece. The Byzantine churches have a unique architecture and vary from region to region. Churches usually have dome and the majority is constructed of stone. Also, some are cross-shaped, with a combination of basilica and a symmetrical central plan. The interior is decorated with beautiful frescoes with scenes from the Bible.
Distinctive churches of Byzantine style exist in towns all over the country. Famous are the churches of Thessaloniki, which have been declared as Unesco World Heritage Monuments, the 75 monasteries around Kastoria and other churches around Greece.
| The
Neoclassical architecture |
|
After the Greek War of Independence of 1821 and especially during the reign of king Otto, Athens was embellished by buildings of
Neoclassical style, a combination of modern and classical style. Some of the best examples of the Neoclassical style are the National Library along Panepistimiou avenue, some hotels in the centre of the Athens (Grande Bretagne) and museums.
The Neoclassical Greece architecture can be described by the simplicity of the geometrical forms teamed with a great inspiration from the Hellenistic period. Inspired architects, like Hernst Tziller and Theophil von Hassen, designed the most important Neoclassical buildings in the country. |
Back:
More:
Related:
