Text 17. Classical Greek architecture

Words and word combinations:

Classical Greek architecture – классическая греческая архитектура

an acropolis - акрополь

distinctive - отличительный

arrangement- расположение

the smallest carvings – самая маленькая

a single row of columns – один ряд колонн

great flexibility – большая гибкость

portico - портик; галерея.

chamber- палата

acropolis- width - ширина

peripternal- окруженный колоннами

erect - воздвигать

Classical Greek architecture has been imitated and adapted to the present day. The best-known Greek contribution to architecture was a set of styles, called orders, for columns and their accompanying entablature. The Greeks used three basic orders –Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Each of the three orders had its own distinctive decorations.

The principal type of classical Greek building was the temple. Its design followed the plan of the Mycenaen mecaron. A Greek temple consisted of arrangements of columns that surrounded a long chamber. The Greeks built many temples on a hill was known as an acropolis.

The Greeks developed formulas for the various styles of temples. The formulas set forth the order; the number, height, width and spacing of the columns and even the details of the smallest carvings. A typical formula was Doric peripteral hexastyle. Doric meant that the building would be erected in the Doric order with standard Doric ornamentation. Peripteral indicated that the building would be surrounded by a single row of columns. Hexastyle meant that the front entrance, or portico, would be six columns wide. Greek architects used the diameter of the column at its base as the unit of measurement for determining the proportions of the entire building. This unit is called the module. In spite of the use of formulas, Greek temple design had great flexibility and variety. A temple could be big and long or high and short. It might be simple or decorative. The number of columns could vary from more than 100.

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