How were Greek temples built?
Greek temples were built to honor and glorify the patron deity. They were built as the god’s house on earth, and usually held a cult statue featuring the god. They evaluate symmetry and harmony in the structures. The temples were made of cut stone marble blocks without mortar, and were decorated with sculpture usually depicting mythological themes or rituals. Temples were often a symbol of the city’s prosperity, and thus were a great value to the Greek life. Several architectural techniques were employed by Greek architects to give the impression of perfection and a lighter feeling. Entasis, or the slight curvature of columns, as well as the barely arched platforms, were used to improve the aesthetic quality of these temples. There are three styles of Greek temples, which are the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders. In all of these orders, the shaft of the column tapers towards the top of capital. The Doric order was originated on the Greek homeland and was mainly used there. It is the
