Ancient Greek architecture

The subject of my talk is Ancient Greek Architecture and Town Planning. My introduction is going to be very little. I'll give you one or two sentences. It is of interest to note that, commenting on the buildings on the Acropolis at Athens, Plutarch remarked: They were created in a short time for all time. Each in its fineness was even then at once age-old; but in the freshness of its vigour it is, even to the present day, recent and newly wrought (= worked, = made)'. In my view no better description of the aims and achievements of Greek architecture has ever been given. Have I made my point clear?

It is no exaggeration to say that the ambition of the ancient Greek architects was to discover eternally valid rules of form and proportion; to erect buildings human in scale yet suited to the divinity of their gods; to create, in other words, a classically ideal architecture. It should (also) be said that their success may be measured by the fact that their works have been copied on and off for some 2,500 years and have never been superseded. I dare say, though severely damaged, the Parthenon remains the nearly perfect building ever erected. I have forgotten to say that the Greeks derived much from other Mediterranean civilizations - the plan of the temple from Crete by way of Mycenae, the columnar form from Egypt, the capital from Assyria.

I'm coming on now to speak about Greek cities. The polis was the urban nucleus of the city state. I think the Greek city with its clearly defined limits, compact urban form and integrated social life, often represents unparalleled achievement to modern planners. The following is terribly informable. The basic elements of the typical Greek city plan comprise the acropolis, the enclosing city wall, the agora or market-place, residential districts, one or more leisure and cultural areas, a religious precinct (if separate from the acropolis), the harbour and port, and possibly an industrial district. I am convinced that the organization of these parts - with the exception of the last two - into a city is best exemplified by Priene. To all this must be added that Hellenistic (after 323 ВС) cities contained public fountains and theatres; specially devised council chambers; gymnasia, schools and libraries; even public baths and lavatories. It is worth mentioning that cities like Alexandria and Corinth had a limited form of street lighting.

Key vocabulary/expressions

• district n округ, дільниця

• precinct n (обгороджена) територія, прилегла до будівлі

• derive походити, отримувати

• divinity n божественість. святість

• fineness n тонкість,витонченність,високопробність

• supersede v звільняти, заміняти, зд. перевершувати

• trabeated а (побудований)з балочним перекрыттям,(стоечно-балочна система)

1. Answer the following questions:

   1. What was the purpose of the ancient Greek architects?

   2. What architectural elements had the Greeks imported from the neighbouring civilizations?

   3. What principal components did the typical Greek city plan consist of?

   4. How can you characterise the city plan of Priene?

   5. Do you agree that the antique Greek city represents unparalleled attainment to modern planners? And why?

   6. What types of buildings and small architectural features did the Greek cities also include?

   7. What were the most important achievements of Ancient Greek architecture and town planning?