Greek Architecture

The first people of the Greek peninsula were believed to be Neolithic. They built very basic structures. The houses were mainly built with a circular, oval, apsidal, or rectangular shape. The rectangular house was mostly square, but some were oblong. They used mud bricks and stones in the mud with reeds or brush to help build the house. Most of the houses had only one room (http://library.advanced.org/10098/greek.htm).
The next group of settlers were the Minoan architects. Their towns were mostly residential with little or no temples and public places. Unlike earlier people, their houses were private and had many rooms. To separate rooms, they would use only pillars which made the house very open. The stairways were a very prominent feature for these massive homes. This began a whole new era for the Greeks dealing with architecture (http://library.advanced.org/10098/greek.htm).
During the Classical Greek architecture period, it was made up of three different orders that are most commonly seen in their temples. These three orders were the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The orders are also known for their columns style (http://library.advanced.org/10098/greek.htm).
The Corinthian order is similar to the Ionic except in the form of the capital. Its characteristic feature is the acanthus leaves which enclose the circular body of the capital. The Roman Empire favored this style (http://www.sailinjissues.com/culture.html).
The most basic order for their temples would be the Doric order. Doric architecture was known for being used by the Spartans. It started with wood shafts, which later was replaced by stone. On the top of the shaft, were circular pads with a square block of wood over it. The vertical columns were used to support the beams called architraves. The finishing touches for the roof had to have a flat gables called pediments. The gutter ran along the top of the pediments and ended at a lion's mouth. This acted like a drain. The materials that were used for the roofs were thatch and the terra-cotta and marble (http://library.advanced.org/10098/greek.htm).
The final order would be the Ionic order. Their columns were more slender than those of the Doric order. They had gentler forms than the Doric order, or “male” order (http://www.sailinjissues.com/culture.html). Their dimensions were eight to nine meters high, instead of four to five. The columns had a molded base which was placed under them and then sculpted figures on the lower part of the shaft were added. At the top of these shafts, were rectangular blocks of stone, which were carved in the shape of hair or other wave and line shapes. (http://library.advanced.org/10098/greek.htm).