athens: the temple of hephaistos in the agora
Archive ID: 421035
Description: the south colonnade of the hephasteion (temple of hephaistos or hephaestus, wrongly called theseion) in the agora. 479 or 449 - 444 or 415 b.c. in the background the kolonos hill.
this doric temple, with the classical plan of 6x13 columns, was built about the same time as the parthenon but is considerably smaller (columns 5.71m/19ft high,parthenon 10.43m/34ft. it has, however, certain features (e.g. ionic friezes instead of doric triglyphs on the facades of the pronaos and opisthodomos) which appear to be modeled on the parthenon.
the explanation is that building began, probably under the direction of kallikrates, before 449 b.c. but was suspended to allow concentration of effort on pericles' great building program on the acropolis and resumed only during the peace of nikias (421-415 b.c.), after pericles' death.
this late date explains the more recent aspect of the east end, with the entrance to the temple.
the temple has four metopes showing the labours of theseus, from which, in late years, took the name of theseion. it is the best preserved example of a doric temple in mainland greece. in the 5h century a.d. the temple was converted into a church of st. george and the interior was rebuilt accordingly.
this doric temple, with the classical plan of 6x13 columns, was built about the same time as the parthenon but is considerably smaller (columns 5.71m/19ft high,parthenon 10.43m/34ft. it has, however, certain features (e.g. ionic friezes instead of doric triglyphs on the facades of the pronaos and opisthodomos) which appear to be modeled on the parthenon.
the explanation is that building began, probably under the direction of kallikrates, before 449 b.c. but was suspended to allow concentration of effort on pericles' great building program on the acropolis and resumed only during the peace of nikias (421-415 b.c.), after pericles' death.
this late date explains the more recent aspect of the east end, with the entrance to the temple.
the temple has four metopes showing the labours of theseus, from which, in late years, took the name of theseion. it is the best preserved example of a doric temple in mainland greece. in the 5h century a.d. the temple was converted into a church of st. george and the interior was rebuilt accordingly.
Added on: March 15, 2007
Tags: greece grecia athens atene greek art hellenistic art classical art v century doric agora urban landscape democracy pericles temple column marble
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