Ancient Greece
By Ryan Troy
Ancient Greek Landmarks- The Ancient Greeks are most renowned for their landmarks that still stand today. From the Acropolis of Athens to the Valley of Temples, landmarks litter the land formerly held by this great civilization. The Acropolis of Athens stands 260 feet tall and was used as a cerimonial site before the 6th century. It is still admired today for its details in the building and the size of it, both incredible for its time period. The Valley of Temples was a series of seven temples located outside Agrigento, Sicily. The Temple of Concordia is the temple mainly focused on out of the seven. This is due to its amazing preservation this building remains one of the largest Doric styled temples on Earth. One other building worth mentioning from the Ancient Greeks was the Temple of Hephaestus. This temple located 500m north-west of the Acropolis is THE best preserved building that was built by the Ancient Greeks. This temple was dedicated to the god of metalworking, Hephaestus, due to the districts many metalwork shops and foundries. The Ancient Greeks arguably left behind the most intricate and well designed buildings from their page in history. Even to this day tourists flock to the region to see the glory and the immenseness of these world famous landmarks.
Image Surce- http://www.greece-athens.com/gallery_images/59.jpg
Ancient Greek Art and Architecture- The Ancient Greeks had a long lasting impact on the arts and architecture. This is due to their wonderful works of art which include various sculptures and paintings. Many of these sculptures that still remain are world renowned for their attention to detail and their craftsmanship. In particular the Classical period saw sculptures that included Hermes by Lysippos and the now crumbled Statue of Zeus at Olympia. Pottery that was crafted by the Ancient Greeks is also world renowned. Pottery was created in a couple different styles in Ancient Greece. Some were created by using the geometric style or some by using the orientalizing style. Both created beautiful forms of pottery that would last long after the Ancient Greeks. As advanced as their art, the Ancient Greeks had major breakthroughs in the architecture as well. Including their building of unique columns which would lead to their building of temples and stoas. The 3 types of columns used by the Ancient Greeks were the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Each was unique in the way it was designed and built. The Ancient Greeks also used their advanced knowledge of architecture to build theatres. Plays were a great part of Ancient Greek culture, so attention to detail and size of these theatres was important in order to provide a great experience for the viewers. The Ancient Greeks used both art and architecture to express their culture and their beliefs, and is a major reason why these two categories were very important in the Ancient Greek society.
