🏛️Ancient Greece🏛️

Architecture for Kids

Explore the magnificent temples, columns and buildings of Ancient Greece — one of the first great building civilisations!

Architecture Facts!

🏛️ Introduction to Greek Architecture

The Ancient Greeks were one of the first great building civilisations. Between about 600 BC and 300 BC, they developed advanced ways of constructing buildings such as amphitheatres, houses, marketplaces and other public buildings.

Many of these buildings had rows of tall columns around the front and sides. The tops of the columns were decorated in different styles. These styles were known as Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns, depending on the building tradition they came from.

The Three Column Styles

🔲Doric — The simplest and sturdiest style, with plain, rounded tops
🌀Ionic — Thinner and more elegant, with scroll-shaped decorations called volutes
🌿Corinthian — The most decorative, topped with carved acanthus leaves

Sacred Buildings!

⚡ Temples for the Gods

However, the most impressive examples of Ancient Greek architecture were the temples built to honour their gods, such as Zeus, Athena, Apollo and Poseidon.

For example, a great Temple of Zeus was built at Olympia in the fifth century BC. Written records tell us it was very magnificent, but it was destroyed long ago.

Gods and Their Temples

⚡Zeus — The great Temple of Zeus at Olympia, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
🦉Athena — The Parthenon in Athens, the most famous surviving Greek temple
☀️Apollo — The Temple at Delphi, where ancient Greeks came to hear prophecies
🌊Poseidon — The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, overlooking the Aegean Sea

Famous Building!

🏛️ The Parthenon

One of the most famous Greek temples can still be seen today in the city of Athens. This temple was built to honour Athena, the goddess of wisdom and crafts. It is commonly known as the Parthenon and stands on the Acropolis, a high hill that rises above the rest of the city.

The temple was completed in 438 BC and was decorated with detailed sculptures and carved friezes on both the outside and inside.

Parthenon Key Facts

📅Completed — 438 BC, nearly 2,500 years ago
🦉Dedicated to — Athena, goddess of wisdom and crafts
⛰️Location — The Acropolis, a high hill above Athens
🎨Decoration — Detailed sculptures and carved friezes inside and out

Then and Now!

🎨 The Parthenon Today

Today the Parthenon looks like a plain building made of white marble. But in Ancient Greek times it would have been painted in bright colours and was an important place for religious festivals in Athens.

Ancient vs Modern

🎨Originally colourful — Painted in vivid reds, blues and golds
🤍Today plain white — The paint faded over thousands of years
🎉Religious festivals — Used for important celebrations honouring Athena
🌍World heritage — Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site visited by millions

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