The Art&Architecture Project

The Greek Influence

Greece was the first civilization to work with columns and continually improve upon them. You can study the styles of Greek architecture at the Boston College Digital Archive of Architecture.

Doric Columns

The Dorians first created a simple, clean looking column with a capital that was smooth and sqaure looking. The Parthenon is a nice example of the use of Doric columns:

Today a good example of the Doric column can be found at the Custom House in New York City.

Ionic Columns

The Inonians came up with a more complicated column that included two scrolls on the capital that made it look much more fancy. The temple of Athena Nike is a good example of Ionic columns:

Today Ionic columns can be seen in the architecture of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia.

Corinthian Columns

The Corinthians then came up with the most elaborate column of all, with a much taller capital that showed acanthus leaves appearing to sprout from the column. The Pantheon in Rome offers fine examples of Corinthian columns.

Today you can see an excellent example of Corinthian columns at the Russell House in Middletown, Connecticut.

Additonal Research:

	Virtual History: The Greek Influence
The Greek Influence Greece was the first civilization to work with columns and continually improve upon them. You can study the styles of Greek architecture at the Boston College Digital Archive of Architecture. Doric Columns The Dorians first created a simple, clean looking column with a capital that was smooth and sqaure looking. The Parthenon is a nice example of the use of Doric columns: Today a good example of the Doric column can be found at the Custom House in New York City. Ionic Columns The Inonians came up with a more complicated column that included two scrolls on the capital that made it look much more fancy. The temple of Athena Nike is a good example of Ionic columns: Today Ionic columns can be seen in the architecture of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia. Corinthian Columns The Corinthians then came up with the most elaborate column of all, with a much taller capital that showed acanthus leaves appearing to sprout from the column. The Pantheon in Rome offers fine examples of Corinthian columns. Today you can see an excellent example of Corinthian columns at the Russell House in Middletown, Connecticut. Additonal Research: History for Kids Thais - Greek Architecture Greek Art and Architecture History of Greek Architecture Ancient City of Athens Alphabetical List of Greek Monuments National Archaeological Museum of Athens Museum of Cycladic Art Virtual Tours of Greece and Italy Greece 4 Kids
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