Greek Temple Architecture

Knowing a little about Greek temple architecture will help you identify buildings and ruins even without a guide. You will then be able to apply this information to other buildings regardless of the location.

Greek temple architecture is divided into three styles which evolved chronologically and can readily be identified by the column capitals, or the decoration at the top of each column.

Doric temples, such as the Parthenon, were surrounded by sturdy capitals with plain capitals and no bases.

Ionic temples differed from Doric by having more columns and with a distinctive style capital called a volute. The volute looks like ram’s horns on the front and back of each column. (I think of the first two letters of Ionic--I for the tall column which looks like an I and O as the two volutes look like O’s at the top of the column).

Corinthian temples in Greece were built under the Romans and only in Athens, but you will see this column style on other buildings elsewhere. These columns are more slender and have very elaborate capitals decorated with acanthus leaves. (I think of Corinthian as a “fancy” word and the top of this column is “fancy!”)

Columns were not one large piece of carved stone. They were constructed of round stone drums stacked on top of each other. Fluting on the columns was carved in situ, guided by that on the top and bottom drums.

The pediment of a temple is the triangular gabled end of the building which sometimes has designs or sculptures according to the temple style. The frieze is the long slender band just below the pediment that extends all around the building and is usually decorated.

At the corners of temples and the peak of the pediment were akroteria, or statues, but almost no upper portions of Greek temples survive.

A ramp led up to the entrance, and the stepped platform was built on a stone foundation.

Inside a temple, the cella or naos, or inner sanctum, housed the cult statue of the god or goddess to whom the temple was dedicated. The cella opened to the east. The roof was usually supported by wooden beams with terracotta tiles, which would explain why many of the temples in ruins have no roofs as they decayed over time.

And did you know that Greek temples were originally painted in bright vibrant colors? The paint has simply worn off with time. Who knew!