As with a wide variety of areas such as mathematics, philosophy, sports and our democratic system, design and architecture find their roots in the history of ancient Greece. Probably one of the most iconic and important developments made in architecture is what we now call the orders of architecture: the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian column styles.
The Ionic Style
This style is said to have originated from Ionia, a Greek province, in the 6th Century BC. Probably one of the easiest styles to recognise, the most identifiable feature of the ionic column is the scrolled top, resting on 24 fluted pillars, a ringed base and a square pad.
The Doric Style
The Doric order is the earliest of the classical order to have been developed, and it originates from the Dorian tribe in Greece. The most famous example of this style would have to be the Parthenon. It is the simplest of the three orders, especially when it comes to the capital (the top part of the column). The capital is composed of a thick, squared slab sitting on a circular base. Similarly to the Ionic style, the Doric style has 20 fluted pillars, but it has no base touching the ground. Since it is much thick and heavier than the Ionic or Corinthian column, this style was generally associated with strength and masculinity. This justifies the reason for most of the Doric columns being placed at the lowest level of buildings.
The Corinthian Style
The Corinthian order is the most ornate of the three styles. The capital consists of sculpted acanthus leaves and small scrolls which flare outwards, giving a sense of height. As with the Ionic style the column consists of fluted pillars. It is worth noting that this style was more used by the Romans than by the Greeks themselves!
Something that I thought was worth mentioning is the fact that the Colosseum in Rome has all of the three styles on different levels: Doric columns on the first level, Ionic columns on the second level, and Corinthian columns on the third level.
Here in Malta we have several examples of these styles, some of which can be seen in the images below.
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| The Main Guard in Valletta - columns in Doric style |
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| The parish church in Mosta - columns in Ionic style |
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| The Opera House in Valletta - column in Corinthian Style |
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| Monument in memory of Sir Alexander Ball at the Lower Barrakka - columns in Doric style |
References
Craven, J. (2015). What Is a Corinthian Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/corinthian-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Craven, J. (2015). What Is a Doric Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/doric-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Craven, J. (2015). What Is an Ionic Column?. [online] About.com Home. Available at: http://architecture.about.com/od/buildingparts/g/ionic-column.htm [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Corinthian Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/12/corinthian-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Doric Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/11/doric-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Dams, A. and profile, V. (2011). NOTED: The Ionic Order. [online] Architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com. Available at: http://architecturalwatercolors.blogspot.com/2011/12/ionic-order.html [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
Times of Malta, (2015). Valletta – vibrant city of many styles. [online] Available at: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150104/business-news/Valletta-vibrant-city-of-many-styles.550626 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2014].
