Summary of "Il tempio greco. La pianta e l’ordine dorico"

Summary of Il tempio greco. La pianta e l’ordine dorico

This video lecture explores the architectural features, typologies, and evolution of the Greek temple, focusing primarily on the Doric order and the temple’s spatial organization (plan). The discussion includes historical context, terminology, structural details, and optical refinements employed by ancient Greek architects to achieve aesthetic harmony.

Main Ideas and Concepts

1. Greek Temple Plan and Typologies

The plan refers to the space the temple occupies, often coinciding with its external perimeter.
Greek temples are classified based on:
- The architectural order (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian).
- The plan or layout.
- The colonnade arrangement (number and placement of columns).
Originally, Greek temples were wooden structures, with columns resembling tree trunks in a forest-like colonnade, symbolizing a labyrinthine sacred space.
Over time, temples transitioned to stone and marble construction, preserving the original wooden form in stone.
Types of Greek temples based on colonnade layout:
- Templum in antis: Two columns at the entrance (pronaos), leading to the naos (inner sanctuary).
- Prostyle temple: Four columns at the front.
- Amphiprostyle temple: Four columns at front and back.
- Peripteral temple: Surrounded by a single colonnade (peristasis).
- Dipteral temple: Surrounded by a double colonnade.
- Pseudoperipteral temple: Columns adjacent to the cella walls, not free-standing.
The front of Greek temples always faces east, oriented towards the rising sun, determined by simple ancient surveying methods (tracking shadows).
Naming conventions for temples include:
- The order (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian).
- Number of columns on the front (e.g., pentastyle = 5 columns, hexastyle = 6).
- Colonnade type (in antis, prostyle, amphiprostyle, peripteral, dipteral).

2. Evolution of Greek Temples

Greek temple architecture evolved minimally over centuries, maintaining a consistent style from the Archaic through the Classical and Hellenistic periods, influencing Roman and Neoclassical architecture.
Example temples:
- Temple of Hera in Olympia: Archaic, peripteral with wooden columns originally; disproportionate column spacing with many more on the sides than the front.
- Temple of Athena in Paestum: Classical Doric, more balanced column ratios (front to side 1:2), more slender columns.
- Temple of Poseidon (Paestum): Columns become taller, slimmer, and less swollen (entasis less pronounced).

3. Doric Order Characteristics

Doric columns rest directly on the stylobate (no base).
Composed of:
- Shaft: Grooved with sharp-edged flutes.
- Capital: Consists of the echinus (a flattened, basin-like shape) and the abacus (a square slab on top).
Columns are constructed from stacked stone drums (rocchi), with a central cavity for metal rods acting as reinforcement—an ancient precursor to modern reinforced concrete.
Columns are not perfect cylinders; they have subtle curves and swelling (entasis) to correct optical illusions and appear straight and sturdy from a distance.
The tapering of Doric columns is opposite to Minoan columns: Doric columns swell toward the bottom, evoking the effect of a wooden column compressed by weight.
Fluting with sharp edges creates shadows that enhance the perception of volume and depth.

4. Optical Refinements

The stylobate and stereobate (steps) are slightly curved upwards in the middle to counteract visual sagging.
Entasis (a slight bulge) in the columns prevents them from appearing too thin or concave.
The spacing and alignment of triglyphs and metopes in the Doric frieze involve complex rules:
- Triglyphs align with columns.
- Corners require special adjustments to avoid misalignment, leading to slight variations in metope widths.
These refinements reflect the Greeks’ meticulous attention to visual harmony and perception, especially since temples were freestanding and highly visible.

5. Doric Frieze Elements

The Doric frieze alternates between:
- Triglyphs: Rectangular blocks with three vertical grooves, representing beam ends.
- Metopes: Square spaces between triglyphs, either plain or decorated with sculptural reliefs.
The triglyphs symbolize wooden roof beam ends, preserved as a decorative motif in stone temples.

Methodology / Instructional Points

Identifying Greek temples:
- Determine the order (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian).
- Count the number of columns on the front (e.g., pentastyle = 5).
- Note the colonnade layout (in antis, prostyle, amphiprostyle, peripteral, dipteral, pseudoperipteral).
- Specify orientation (always east-facing).
Orienting a temple:
- Plant a pole in the morning.
- Observe the shadow cast by the rising sun.
- Align the temple’s front to the direction of the sunrise.
Column construction:
- Use stacked stone drums (rocchi).
- Insert a metal rod for reinforcement.
- Shape the shaft with entasis for optical correction.
- Carve sharp flutes for shadow effects.
Frieze design:
- Align triglyphs with columns.
- Adjust corner columns to maintain triglyph alignment.
- Vary metope widths to accommodate triglyph placement.

Speakers / Sources Featured

The primary speaker is an unnamed professor or lecturer explaining Greek temple architecture.
References include:
- Vitruvius, a 1st-century BCE Roman architect and writer who systematized architectural terminology.
- Historical examples of temples (Hera at Olympia, Athena at Paestum, Poseidon at Paestum).
The video includes some incidental remarks and informal commentary by the lecturer.

End of Summary