A Visual Glossary of Classical Architecture

Architectural Elements of the Parthenon by F.Banister (Public Domain)

1. Abacus - a large slab placed above the column capital to support the architrave or an arch
placed above it.

Akroterion by ECeDee (CC BY-SA)

2. Akroterion - a decorative piece added to the roof of a temple at the apex and corners,
usually made of clay or bronze and often in the form of a palm or statue, for example
of Nike.

Adytonby Hazmat2 (CC BY-SA)

3. Adyton - the most sacred inner part of a temple, usually at the end of the cella furthest from
the entrance, often with restricted access to the initiated or priests.
Library of Celsus, Ephesus by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

4. Aedicule - a frame formed by two columns and an entablature with pediment.

Cornice, Temple of Athena, Priene by S. R. Koehler (Public Domain)

5. Architrave - the lowest part of the entablature, the part below the frieze.
Temple of Nike, Athens by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
6. Amphiprostyle Temple - when both façades have columns, e.g.: the temple of
Nike, Athens.

Phrygian Captive, Corinth by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

7. Atlantide - a sculpted male figure acting as a column to support an entablature, named
after Atlas.
Arch of Constantine I (South Side) by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
8. Attic Story - the part placed above the entablature of a building, e.g.: often seen in
triumphal arches.

Roman Buttress by isawnyu (CC BY)

9. Buttress - a mass placed to support a wall, especially when the wall bears an arch or heavy
weight. Flying buttresses support a weight over space and allow for walls to be weakened by
the inclusion of niches and windows.
Corinthian Capital by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
10. Capital - the crown which joins the top of a column with the abacus and aids in distributing
weight. Different types include the simple convex Doric and the highly decorative Corinthian
with stylized acanthus leaves.

Caryatids of the Erechtheion by Dennis Jarvis (CC BY-NC-SA)

11. Caryatid - a sculpted female figure acting as a column to support an entablature, e.g.: in
the Erechtheion.
Theatre of Delphi by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
12. Cavea - the seated area of a theatre, usually built into a natural slope.

Plan of the Parthenon by S. R. Koehler (Public Domain)

13. Cella - the inner area of a temple, usually rectangular and without windows, sometimes
columned. Often subdivided into smaller rooms, the largest of which often housed a large
cult statue to a particular deity.
Architectural Column Orders by Sarah Woodward (CC BY-SA)
14. Column - used to support the abacus and architrave without the necessity of a wall. There
are several types including the simple and earliest the Doric. They may also be free-standing
and often commemorate significant historical events such as Trajan’s Column.

15. Conch - also known as an apse, a recess in a wall often highly decorated or containing
a statue.

Cornice by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

16. Cornice - the decorative projecting part at the top of the entablature which also aided in
drainage of rainwater.
Crepidoma, Temple of Zeus, Olympia by Joanbanjo (CC BY-SA)
17. Crepidoma - also crēpis, the three steps on which stand the columns of a temple. The final
top step is known as the stylobate.

Aerial View of the Temple of Apollo, Miletus by Carole Raddato (CC BY-SA)
18. Decastyle Temple - with ten columns at each façade, e.g.: the temple of Apollo Didymaeus
at Miletus.
Dentils by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
19. Dentils - a regular series of squares or rectangles used to decorate cornices.

Seating of the Theatre of Epidaurus by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

20. Diazoma - the walkway which horizontally divides the seats in a theatre.
21. Dipteral Temple - when there are a double row of columns on all sides, e.g.:
the Parthenon.
22. Dodecastyle Temple - with twelve columns at each façade.
Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
23. Dromos - the monumental unroofed and walled entrance to a tomb, e.g. at Mycenae.

Column Drums, Olympia by Mark Cartwright (Copyright)

24. Drum - the individual circular pieces used to construct some types of columns.
Egg and Dart Ornamentation by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
25. Egg and Dart Ornamentation - a typical feature of decoration on cornices.

Temple of Portunus, Rome by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

26. Engaged Columns - columns which are incorporated within a wall.
Architrave, Capitolium, Brixia by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
27. Entablature - the structure which lies horizontally above columns and which is composed of
the architrave, frieze and cornice.

Doric Temple of Juno, Agrigento by Chiara Marra (CC BY)

28. Entasis - the swelling of a column at its base and centre to give the illusion of being perfectly
straight.
Column Flutes, Parthenon by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
29. Flute - the curved vertical channel carved in a column.

Gigantomachy, Treasury of the Siphians, Delphi by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

30. Frieze - the widest and central part of the entablature often richly decorated with
relief sculpture.
Roman Temple, Nimes, France by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
31. Hexastyle Temple - with six columns at each façade, e.g. the Maison Carré at Nimes.

Treasury of The Athenians, Delphi by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

32. in antis - when the walls of a portico extend in line with the façade columns.
Inner Archway, Arch of Titus by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
33. Intrados - the inner surface of an arch.

Hercules & The Cretan Bull by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

34. Metope - a square space in the frieze between two triglyphs, often filled with relief
sculpture or ornaments such as shields.
Monolithic Columns, Corinth by Mark Cartwright (Copyright)
35. Monolithic Column - a column carved from a single piece of stone.

Temple of Baachus, Baalbek by Jerzy Strzelecki (CC BY-SA)

36. Octastyle Temple - with eight columns at each façade, e.g.: the temple of Bacchus
at Baalbek.

37. Opisthodomos - The small room at the rear of a temple commonly used as a treasury.
Theatre Parodoi, Epidaurus by Mark Cartwright (Copyright)
38. Parodoi - the large arched gateways, either side of the skēnē, through which an audience
entered a theatre.

The Zanes, Olympia by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

39. Pedestal - the block on which stands a column or statue, composed of the plinth, torus,
dado and fascia.
Pediment, Pantheon by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
40. Pediment - the triangular space above the entablature at the short sides of a temple. Often
richly decorated with sculpture in the round.

Parthenon, East Façade by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

41. Peripteral Temple - when all four external sides have columns.
Peristyle by Sailko (CC BY-SA)
42. Peristyle - the rows of columns which surround a temple or courtyard.

Pilaster Columns by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

43. Pilaster - an ornamental column carved in relief on a wall surface.
Portico, Pantheon by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
44. Portico - a space for walking, usually columned, e.g.: at the front of a temple.

Pronaos by Benutzer:Ronaldo (Public Domain)

45. Pronaos - the space between the outer columns and cella entrance in a temple.
Athenian Propylaea Reconstruction by Immanuel Gial (Public Domain)
46. Propylon - the monumental gateway to a religious sanctuary or defined space. Often
incorporating several separate entrances (propylaia).

Treasury of The Athenians, Delphi by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

47. Prostyle - a temple with columns only at the front façade.
Lion-shaped Sima by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
48. Sima - the gutter which collected rainwater from the roof of a temple, often containing
decorative spouts at regular intervals.

Odeon Of Herodes Atticus, Athens by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

49. Skēnē - the background on a theatre stage, later examples were monumental in design.
Temple of Poseidon, Sounion, Greece by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
50. Stereobate - the surface on which the stylobate stands.
51. Stoa - a long and narrow columned building often used to enclose a particular space
at religious sites and public places such as markets and gymnasia. Used as a meeting
place and shelter from the weather.
52. Stylobate - the foundation on which a row of columns stand. Often slightly curved to
aid drainage.
53. Tetrastyle Temple - with four columns at each façade.

Tholos of Delphi
 54. Tholos - A circular-shaped temple, the most famous example being at Delphi.

Entablature with Metope and Triglyphs by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)

55. Triglyph - a decorative element of a frieze with two vertical grooves. Often used in
alteration with metopes.

Arch of Constantine I
56. Triumphal Arch - a monumental archway to commemorate Roman military victories and
other significant events.
Ionic Capital by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA)
57. Volutes - the scrolls of an Ionic capital