Ancient Greek Buildings/Buildings in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek buildings, reached a point of extinction during the period of time ranging from the close of the Mycenaean period till about the 7th century BC.

The economy of the civilization and the prosperity of the people finally improved after the 7th century BC and new architecture emerged in the cities.

Materials Used For Constriction:

The common material used for construction of the roofs of the buildings was wood. It was used for supporting the roof beams. Plaster was used for making sinks and for making bathtubs.

The walls of the houses were made of unbaked bricks. The columns, walls and upper portion of the houses were made out of lime stones and marbles. Terracotta was used to make roof tiles. These materials were used in constructing five simple types of buildings, namely

Religious buildings
Civic buildings
Domestic buildings
Funerary buildings
Recreational buildings

The temple was amongst the finest constructions of the Greeks. It served a dual function. Firstly, it served the functions of the modern church. Secondly, it served as a place where the deity was safely placed. The offerings that were given to the deity were stored in a place called the cellar.

The circular temple or the tholos was another popular ancient building. This was a place of worship of Athena. There was a porch attached to this structure which served as the path leading to the temple sanctuary. The fountain house was a site from where the women filled their vases.

The towns often contained gymnasiums visited by the men. In the towns, a council chamber was built which formed the court houses where judicial activities were carried out. The Greek theatre was a place of entertainment for the public. They were so well maintained and well preserved that they survive till today.

There were two types of Greek architecture, namely

Doric
Iconic

The iconic style was used in the cities of Ionia and the Doric style was prominent in mainland Greece. Among the ancient Greek buildings, the Doric style was more formal and austere. The iconic style was more ornamented and relaxed.

Information on:
Ancient Greece Buildings
Buildings during Ancient Greek History

Ancient Greek Life History / Ancient Greece Facts for Kids

We owe a lot to Ancient Greek Civilization. History of ancient Greece is a fascinating. On this site, we have given information on various ancient Greek life aspects - Arts, Boys and Girls, Architecture, Dancing, Gods, Myths, Medicine, Inventions, Houses, Government, Religions, Wars, Politics, Weapons and ancient Greece Cities.