Greek architectural orders

The Corinthian order

The Corinthian order is both the latest and the most elaborate of the Classical orders of architecture. This order was employed in both Greek and Roman architecture with minor variations and gave rise, in turn, to the Composite order. The defining element of the Corinthian order is its elaborate, carved capital, which incorporates even more vegetal elements than the Ionic order does. The stylized, carved leaves of an acanthus plant grow around the capital, generally terminating just below the abacus. The Romans favored the Corinthian order, perhaps due to its slender properties. The order is employed in numerous notable Roman architectural monuments, including the Temple of Mars Ultor, the Pantheon in Rome, and the Maison Carrée in Nîmes.

The doric order

The Doric order is the earliest of the three Classical orders of architecture and represents an important moment in Mediterranean architecture when monumental construction made the transition from impermanent materials—like wood—to permanent materials, namely stone. The Doric order is characterized by a plain, unadorned column capital and a column that rests directly on the stylobate of the temple without a base. The Doric entablature includes a frieze composed of trigylphs—vertical plaques with three divisions—and metopes—square spaces for either painted or sculpted decoration. The columns are fluted and are of sturdy, if not stocky, proportions.

The Ionic order

The Ionic order originated in Ionia, a coastal region of central Anatolia—today Turkey—where a number of ancient Greek settlements were located. Volutes, scroll-like ornaments, characterize the Ionic capital, and a base supports the column, unlike the Doric order. The Ionic order incorporates a running frieze of continuous sculptural relief, as opposed to the Doric frieze composed of triglyphs and metopes.