Greek Temples

freize

A band above the architrave and was decorated with relief sculpture

entablature

A horizontal, continuous lintel on a classical building supported by columns or a wall, comprising the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Panathenaic Procession

A real event which took place every four years where Athenians gathered in the agora (market place) and, among other things, carried a robe to the statue of Athena relating to the Panathenaea. An Athenian festival held in honor of the Greek goddess Athena, the patron goddess of Athens The Parthenon has an ionic frieze depicting this.

caryatids

A sculpture of a draped female figure that replaces a standard column that supports an entablature.

architrave

A square beam that is the lowest of the three horizontal components of a Classical entablature.

pediment

A triangular space (gable) between a horizontal entablature and a sloping roof that contains an ornamental sculpture.

abacus

At the top of a capital, a thick rectangular slab of stone that serves as the flat, broad surface on which the architrave rests.

flutes

Channels in a vertical position used to embellish columns, pilasters or furniture legs. These are parallel concave grooves that are used to ornament a surface.

peripteral

In Greek classical architecture its a colonnade of a single row of columns running around the cella and it's porches.

entasis

In classical architecture, the slight swelling or bulge in the center of a column, which corrects the illusion of concave tapering produced by parallel or straight lines.

Corinthian Order

Most richly ornate and embellished of the orders - features a base, a fluted column shaft, with a more complex elongated capital that is elaborately decorated with ornamental acanthus leaf carvings. The least used of the five classical orders, developed by the Greeks in the 4th century BCE but used more extensively in Roman architecture; similar in most respects to the Iconic but usually of slenderer proportions.

Ionic Order

One of the five classical Greek architectural order which style developed in the Greek colonies of Asia Minor in the 6th century BCE. It's similar to Doric but is characterized especially by an additional spiral volute elements of its capital, the presence of dentils in the cornice, and features a frieze that might contain continuous relief ornament. The fluted column shafts are the most thin and small columns out of the three canonic orders and typically stands on a large molded base separating the shaft from the stylobate and supported an entablature consisting of an architrave of three fascias, a richly ornamented frieze, and a cornice corbeled out on egg-and-dart and dental moldings.

capitals

The architectural features that crown a column.

drums

The cylindrical stone blocks composing a column.

stereobate

The first few steps in a Greek classical building and the foundation upon which a Classical temple stands.

naos (cella)

The inner sanctum area of an ancient temple which devotes its purpose to housing the main hidden cult image in a Greek or Roman religion.

Doric Order

The oldest and simplest of the three main orders of classical Greek architecture, characterized by heavy fluted columns with plain, saucer-shaped capitals and no base.

elevation

The side view of a vertical external wall face of a building.

stylobate

The uppermost course of the platform of a Greek temple, which supports the columns. The base upon which the Greek temple rests. Contains steps on all sides.

column shaft

The vertical part of a column between the capital and the base.

Iktinos (Ictinus) and Kallikrates (architects)

With Phidias, are jointly credited in the creation of the Parthenon, in Athens, during the rule of Pericles, circa -440.