An Overview Of The Greek And Roman Architectural Columns

When you want to give your home or business an original looking, you'll often hire an architect who shares your love for unique designs. From days of the past to the present, one of the more prevalent unique designs given to a private building such as homes or family businesses to public buildings including hospitals and schools are columns. There are two cultural designs you can choose from such as:

- Greek style columns
- Roman style columns

A Look At The Greek Columns

When you look at the Greek buildings that have survived the test of time, you'll notice three different architectural designs. They include:

- Corinthian style
- Doric style
- Ionic style

How To Determine If The Column Is Of Greek Design

How can you determine if a column is of Greek design? There are three main ways you can distinguish them from other columns such as: their tops, sometimes their bases and their shaft's width.

One way you can determine if a column is of Greek design is to look and see if the shaft has channels carved into it. This is called fluted. A traditional artistic design for fluting is 24 channels on the columns.

As the Greek culture and population grew so did the three styles. It began as basic column to what many people see today: an ornate column design.

Corinthian Style Design

When you start to look at the kind of Greek design you want, you'll notice that the most elaborate of all designs is the Corinthian style. It was also the most trim of each of the three as well. It wasn't until the Corinthian style was created that the Greek column base became ornament.

What kinds of designs do you often see on this type? It typically has acanthus leaves that enfold around engraved scrolls with engraved flowers.

Doric Style Columns

If you are looking for a little simplicity, then you should go with the Doric style design. The top of it is saucer shaped which is wider than the shaft. It opens aloft so it can support the top's surface, allowing it to support the column structure.

Ionic Style Columns

Want a design that is intricate? The Ionic style in Greek architecture has a carved scroll that curves out at each square top corner. Often called spirals, they all connect on the column.

A Look At The Roman Columns

When you look at the Roman culture, you'll notice many similarities between it and the Greek culture. This is because the Roman civilization implemented many of the Greek cultural designs including the architecture. The civilization adopted all three designs of the Greek architecture: Corinthian, Doric and Ionic.

Although the Roman culture used the Greek architecture, they also added their own architecture to the concoction. These are called the: Composite and Tuscan. The five different blueprints vary by the ornaments in the bases and capitals.

Roman Corinthian Style Columns

Like the Greek Corinthian designs, the Roman Corinthian design is also convoluted with meticulous engravings of nature designs that extend down the entire column.

Roman Doric Style Columns

A slight variation to the Greek architecture for Doric columns, the Roman architecture has bases and tops that are quite similar to that of the Tuscan style. Its shafts are fluted; however, it has shallow channels unlike the Greek architectural style.

Roman Ionic Style Columns

These Roman Ionic columns are vastly similar to their Greek counterparts but are overall more elaborate.

Composite Style Columns

Composite columns combine the designs of Greek Ionic and Corinthian styles. The designs integrate the floral designs with acanthus leaves along with the scrolls that can be seen in the Ionic designs.

Tuscan Style Columns

Of all Roman architectural designs, the Tuscan style columns are the plainest. Some may compare the Greek Doric design style and the Tuscan style columns and say there are quite alike. However, upon closer examination, you will see there is no base, fluting or saucer shape that holds up the flat square.