Page 460 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

458  IT AL Y AND GREECE

Temple Architecture

Temples were the most important public buildings in
ancient Greece, largely because religion was a central
part of everyday life. Often placed in prominent
positions, temples were also statements about
political and divine power. The earliest temples, in
the 8th century BC, were built of wood and sun-dried The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens
bricks. Many of their features were copied in marble
buildings from the 6th century BC onward.
The cult statue was of the
Temple The cella, or inner sanctum, god or goddess to whom the
temple was dedicated.
housed the cult statue.
Construction
The pediment,
This drawing is of an triangular in shape,
idealized Doric temple, often held sculpture.
showing how it was
both built and used.

Fluting on the
columns was carved
in situ, guided by that on
A ramp led up to the the top and bottom drums.
temple entrance.
The column drums were
The stepped platform was initially carved with bosses
built on a stone foundation. for lifting them into place.
The Illusion of Perfection
The base of the
Every aspect of the Parthenon was built on a 9:4 ratio to temple is higher in
make the temple completely symmetrical. The sculptors the middle than at
also used visual trickery to counteract the laws of the edges.
perspective. The illustration (right) is exaggerated
to show the techniques they employed.

Entasis (a bulge in
the middle) makes each
4
9 column look straight.
4
Each column leans
9 slightly inward.

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