The most distinctive type of ancient Greek architecture is the temple. Normally, A Greek temple served as the home of an individual god, and contained a statue of that appropriate god. These Temples were not meant for gatherings. They were created to serve as homes for the individual god or goddess who protected the community. The Greeks put the needs of the gods as their first priority.
The large temple buildings were made of stone with the intention that they would last forever. The building’s walls were covered with “scenes” that were carved onto the stone and then painted over with bright colors. These particular scenes showed the priest fighting in battles and carrying out rituals with the gods and goddesses.
Usually the four corners of the temples were decorated with acroteria, which were statues made out of light-weight terracotta. These decoration were plastered along the gables of the walls.
The usual Greek temple design emerged through the “Megaron plan”. In this plan, the temple’s eaves were extended and were held by rows of columns that stretched around the perimeter of the building. This line of columns is called a “peristyle”. Such temples that contained a peristyle, were called “peripterals”.
Lauren Mlouhi
