Greek Gods

There are 3 basic styles of Greek columns in Greek architecture. These three styles have been replicated for years and in many countries. These columns are referred to as the Doric, Ionic, and the Corinthian columns. Each style have their own unique structures and you can see them just about every day in the large cities of the world. Many capitol buildings around the world have one style or the other in the structure of the capitol buildings and other governmental buildings as well. There are many plantation owners in the southern part of the United States who also has these columns on their grand homes. Many of these can still be seen today. There are even many of the common people who live in older homes which were built in the 19th and 20th century which have the columns on their porches of their homes. The designs of the columns are so beautiful they will probably be around for many years to come.

The Doric column is the most simple style of the three. The top of the columns are made of a circle which is topped by a square. The shaft of the column is plain and has 20 sides. There is no base to this style of column. The shaft of it goes to the floor. These columns are very powerful looking and they are very sturdy. You might find them made from rock, granite, or wood., depending on what structure they are on.

The Ionic style of Greek columns were much taller than the Doric ones. Because they were taller, it made them look much slimmer although they were the same size in diameter. They had lines carved into them from top to bottom and this may have added to the fact that they looked smaller. Lines going up and down always makes something look thinner, lines going back and forth makes something look larger. There were small bulges in the columns which made them look straight, even when seen from a distance. The shafts appeared to get narrower at the tops so the lines these little bulges would make up for that. The base of the columns were plain and looked like a stack of rings. On top of the shaft are scrolls which are more decorative than those on the Doric columns.

The third and most decorative of the Greek columns are the Corinthian columns. This one is the style that is favored most in modern day architecture. This style also uses the entasis, or little bulges in the shaft of the columns to make them look straight. The capitals above the shaft has flowers and leaves below a small scroll. The shaft has flutes on it and the base of it is like the Ionic column base. The roofs of this column is flat and the roofs of the Ionic and Doric are slanted.