Neoclassical Architecture and Its Foundations

Neo-Classical Architecture and its Foundations

Classical architecture is something that almost anyone can appreciate because there are traces of it everywhere. Greek and Roman cultures have had a major influence on today's architecture but it all stems from the classical architecture that was created centuries ago. The present example is Neoclassical Architecture which first appeared in 18th century France and in America, it was promoted by the legendary Thomas Jefferson as the Federal style. During the Neoclassical period, the ideas of balance, harmony, and idealism resurfaced and were once again popular. Now sit back and prepare to be taught a thing or two about architecture and where most of the main principles and ideas came from.

Modern architects really owe the ancient Greeks a round of applause for making so many attributions and really laying down the foundations and concepts that are used today. Greek life was dominated by religion and so it only makes sense why they put so much time and energy into building some of the biggest and most beautiful temples. Their buildings had political purposes and were often built to celebrate civic power, or to offer their thanks to the patron God of a city for success in battle.

The Greeks developed three architectural systems that wound up playing a large role in Neoclassical architecture. The systems, called orders, each have their own distinctive detailing and proportions. The Greek orders are: Dionic, Ionic, and Corinthian. These are all different styles of columns, which during this time period provided most of the structures support. However, later on in Neoclassicism , columns were used primarily for decorative purposes. The Doric style is the oldest and most sturdy, the column itself is thicker as well. The top part of the column is called the capital and is very plain, no decoration. This style was used in mainland Greece and in southern Italy and Sicily. The Parthenon, located on Acropolis in Athens, is a great example of the use of Doric columns. The Parthenon was originally constructed in the 5th century BC and even though it has suffered an enormous amount of damage it has been able to hold its own over the centuries and still maintain the ideals of order and harmony for which Greek architecture is known for.

The Ionic style column is much thinner and more delicate looking than the Doric. The capital on an Ionic column requires more skill to construct because it is decorated with a scroll-like design, known in the architectural world as a volute. This style was more prevalent in eastern Greece and the Mediterranean islands. The Erectheum, which is also located on Acropolis, was constructed sometime between 421 and 405 BC, displays the volutes of the Ionic columns. The Erectheum was originally built to contain sanctuaries to Athena Polias, Poseidon, and Erectheus. The building was to contain several shrines and the site it is located on happens to be at a slight tilt, it created sort of an unusual plan. From the main section of the building (the body), porticoes project on the east, north, and south sides. Porticoes are the porches that are created by the layout of the columns. The eastern portico provides access to the Shrine of Athena, which was separated from the western cella. A cella is what a person from Massachusetts might call a basement. Just kidding! A cella is the main room of a temple. The northern portico stands at a lower level and provides a way through the western cella and through a very fine doorway. The southern portico is known as the Porch of the Courtyards, named after the six sculptured female figures that support its' entablature and is the temples best feature that forms the tribune or gallery. All columns have an entablature. The entablature of a column is pretty much everything above the abacus. The abacus provides support for the entablature on top of the capital. The entablature includes the architrave, frieze, guttae, and cornice. The architrave is the lowest part of the entablature. The frieze is the central element of the entablature and contains a large portion of the decorative work. On a Doric column, the frieze contains a metope which is a section that is usually carved out and alternates with triglyphs. Triglyphs basically consist of a panel with three vertical grooves. Next in the entablature is the guttae, configured of a row of stone studs on the bottom of the entablature. Finally, the cornice makes up the top projecting section of the entablature.

The Corinthian style was not used nearly as much as the Doric or Ionic styles by the classical Greeks. Its capital is extremely elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves. Corinthian is by far the most ornate of all the Greek orders, and was also the latest to develop. It did not arrive on the scene in full roar until the middle of the 4th century BC. The oldest known example of the Corinthian style is the temple of Apollo at Bassae (c. 420 BC). However, the best known example of this style is the temple of Zeus at Athens.

The second major influence on Neoclassical architecture is that of the ancient Romans. Roman architecture that still stands today is a testament to the ability and knowledge of a once great civilization that at one time covered three continents. The Romans were the pioneers of modern architectural engineering, they learned from the Greeks and then developed and expanded those skills. A unified form of architecture gave the Roman empire a unique style. Roman ruins can be found in diverse places ranging from Britain to Egypt.

The enormous public buildings that the Romans left is the legacy to their once unstoppable empire. Their mind-blowing amphitheatres and monuments, such as the triumphal arch, were a marvel to the world. Most Roman monuments were constructed using the arch and then had the details carved in them. The Roman amphitheatre, like most styles of buildings, was heavily influenced by the Greeks. These structures were for the most part circular and used the arch as their style of building but some were constructed into a mountain or a hillside. The theatres and amphitheatres were gigantic in size and could hold up to fifty thousand spectators. The largest and most famous Roman amphitheatre was the Coliseum (1st Century AD) which was built by the Flavian emperors Vespasian and Titus. The Coliseum was the venue of choice for just about anything from mock sea battles to gladiator fights. A very interesting fact about the Coliseum is that it was originally built with a huge removable canopy to protect the spectators from the natural elements.

The Greek architects created the three orders. The Romans, knowing a good thing when they saw it, adapted the three orders and changed it into five stages.