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Greek Architecture: Ancient Beauty
Everyone thinks of white columns and gracefully straight lines
when they think about Greek architecture, and that’s true to a point.
The earliest people we consider Greek were the Minoans, whose
civilization was destroyed by a volcanic eruption and then the invasion
of the Mycenaeans in the 14th century BC; the Minoans were very
creative architecturally. Their ruined palaces on the island of Crete
still show ingenious architectural innovations like light wells – a
form of skylight necessary in their sprawling palaces – and colonnaded
porticoes that would channel cool fresh air inside during the hot
Cretan summers.
Like all other Greek architecture, Crete’s buildings were not plain
white but brilliantly painted. In fact, by the paint evidence that
remains, many of what we consider Greek masterpieces would have been as
gaudily painted as lawn gnomes in any trailer park today.
Later Greeks borrowed heavily from Cretan architecture to create their
own masterpieces in building. Columns – Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian –
were cut in blocks from the living earth and erected piled on top of
one another; they were wider at the bottom than the top, both to
provide additional strength to the building’s structure and to give the
illusion of even more height. The Athenian Acropolis is probably the
most outstanding example of Greek architecture. Its elegant lines and
deceptive simplicity exemplify the Athenian spirit.
Roman architecture borrowed heavily from Greek architecture, just as
they borrowed Greek gods, literature, and culture. You can easily see
the influence of the Greeks in Roman ruins such as the Coliseum. Today,
Greek architecture still influences the lines of Western architecture
with its simplicity, straightforward structure, and its focus on
comfort. Look around one day and you’ll find that many homes, public
and private buildings, as well as everyday structures have in some way
been influenced by ancient architecture.
