Greek architecture PPT

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ Ancient Greek buildings had great artistic value

(i) Ancient Greece

(d) Architecture

The Temple of Olympian

Zeus in Athens

■ Important buildings (such as temples) were

surrounded by tall stone columns

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ The capitals (tops) of the columns were carved with beautiful

patterns: the Doric Order, Ionic Order and Corinthian Order

The Parthenon in Athens was built in the
5th century BC. It was used to worship

Athena, the guardian of Athens.

Doric Order

​

​

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ Pediments were commonly found at the top of

ancient Greek buildings

The British Museum in

London, Britain

The pediment over the
British Museum’s main

entrance

■ These basic elements of Greek architecture have been

adopted by architects for centuries

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ The ancient Roman cities were well-planned

Ancient Roman street in the ruined

city of Jerash in Jordan

(ii) Ancient Rome

(d) Architecture

■ They had a huge road network linking Rome

and other provinces

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■A good water supply and sewerage system was supported by the
construction of aqueducts and pipelines

A Roman aqueduct in Spain

7

Stadiums

●Greek sporting events were held to honor various Greek gods such as Zeus, Apollo, or Poseidon.

●The games were held every two or four years in stadiums that were regarded as religiously
important sanctuaries.

●The oldest athletic contest held by the Greeks is a foot race over a specified distance, usually
around 200 meters in length.

●Spectators at these prestigious races wore a crown of olive leaves, now a popular symbol of
Greek culture.

Sports day is coming up soon! If you could
redesign a stadium for it, what would it look
like?

Sports day is coming up soon! If you could build a stadium in the school for it, what would it look like?

• efficient use of space

• make sure everyone gets a good view

• accomodate more then 4 types of games

Poll

The shape of the stadium would be...

• a square

• a hexagon

• a circle

• a rounded rectangle

8

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ The Romans also built various facilities, such as temples,

forums, theatres, stadiums, and bathhouses

Ruins of the Roman theatre in Turkey

​A good theatre design should...

Multiple Select

​A good theatre design should...

• have a good sound system

• incorporate its surrounding beauty

• make sure most seats have a good view of the stage

• aesthetically beautiful

• ​The climate of Greece is mild, with both the coldness of winter and the heat of summer calmed by gentle sea breezes.

• This led to a lifestyle where many activities and gatherings took place outdoors.

• Attending plays and religious ceremonies at theatres was a favorite outdoor pastime.

• Theatres were often built into a naturally occurring hillside so the audience could sit and view the stage below. The larger theatres could hold up to 25,000 spectators.

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ The Roman forums were open

spaces between buildings

The Roman Forum at the
center of the city of Rome

Dome

Columns

Arch

■ It was used to hold political, religious and commercial

activities

■ Colonnades (row of columns) were built around the forum

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

■ Today, the concept of forum is still widely used in city

planning

■ This design often seen in later European architecture

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

The Colosseum

History

IN DEPTH

The Colosseum was a famous building in ancient Rome. It was built in the 1st
century AD. It was oval in shape and built of stone and cement. It had sixty rows of
seats and could house about 100,000 spectators. It was mainly used to stage gladiator
fights.

B. Legacy and significance of classical civilization

The Colosseum shows the talents and genius of Roman architecture. Inside
there were many columns and arches. Each arch had an exit allowing spectators
to leave as soon as the programme ended. Originally, there was also a
retractable roof to keep out wind and rain. Hundreds of people were needed to
operate the roof.

The Colosseum

History

IN DEPTH

P.26 Circle the elements of
ancient Greek architectural

style in HK

14

P.26 Circle the elements of
ancient Greek architectural

style in London and New York?

15