Ancient Greek Temples
The largest Doric structure was the Olympieion of Akragas, an 8 x 17 column peripteros, but in many regards an absolutely "un-Greek" structure, equipped with details such as engaged, figural pillars (Telamons), and a peristasis partially closed off by walls.[45] With external dimensions of 56 x 113 m, it was the largest Doric building ever to be completed.
The colossal and grand 3rd century BC Greek Temple of Apollo at Didyma on the west coast of Turkey. Erected on the site of an older temple destroyed by Darius I of Persia in 494 BC, the temple is nearly 120 metres long and 60 metres wide and is the 3rd largest Greek temple ever built after those of Ephesus and Samos. Only 3 columns remain today from the magnificent original 122 enormous marble Ionic columns that reached a height of 60 feet and with a diameter of 6 feet around the base. The capitals and bases of the columns are also impressively large and display beautiful and rich decorative carvings. The temple is part of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Didyma which was one of the most evocative and sacred of classical sites. Its oracle was famous with pilgrims throughout ancient world and was second in importance only to Delphi.
Agrigento, historic city and site of Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) arguably the finest Greek ruins outside of Greece. The classic Greek poet Pindar called it "the most beautiful city built by mortal men." This is the site of eight Doric temples. Each temple in the Valle dei Templi is unique. The Tempio di Castore e Polluce (Temple of Castor and Pollux) is a bit of a mess. It was reconstructed well over one hundred years ago by people who didn't know what they were doing. They slapped together elements from diverse ruins on the site. The Tempio di Giove (Temple of Jupiter) was never completed. At more than 330 feet (about 130 meters) long it was one of the largest Greek temples ever built. The Tempio di Ercole (Temple of Hercules) is the oldest of these temples. It was partially reconstructed over eighty years ago. The Tempio della Concordia (Temple of Concord) is said to be the best-preserved Greek temple on earth. It was converted into a Christian church in the Sixth Century and restored in the Eighteenth Century. Everything is still there except for the roof and the treasury.
The Selinunte / Selinus site is located near the southwestern coast of Sicily in the province of Trapani. While Akragas (Agrigento) boasts more standing Greek temples in its "Valley of the Temples," Selinunte is set in a much more tranquil setting. The city of Selinunte proper, known as the "acropolis," is situated on high ground overlooking the Mediterranean about twenty meters below. The acropolis is located roughly in the center of the large archeological park. The site's temples are identified by letter. Within the acropolis are the foundations of five temples, of which only Temple C is in discernible condition. Some of the famed "metopes," stone-carved panels depicting various scenes from Greek mythology, currently on display in Palermo's regional archeological museum, came from Temple E. Temple G, the last and largest, is thought to have been built around 530 BC, but was never completed. This large temple was the fourth largest Greek temple ever built, not only in Sicily but in all the Greek world. Unfortunately, only one large column is still standing. The rest of Temple G is a great pile of large stones.
Seven kilometers south - west of the ancient city of Samos ( present - day Pythagoreio ), near the sea, is the Heraion, one of the most important sanctuaries of ancient Greece. The temple was built near the mouth of the river Imvrasos because the area was connected with the worship of the goddess even though the ground isn't so stable. This temple suits very well to the exponents of the Archaeological Museum. Owing to the myth, the Goddess Hera was born and raised here. In 500 BC. the temple still posed on 115 columns close to Ireon, nowadays only one single column-half has been conserved. Probably Hera has moved out because of that. The temple of Hera is the largest Greek temple ever built which was faithfully reconstructed by Polykrates to replace the previous model designed by the architects Rhoikos and Theodoros of Samos and destroyed by an earthquake. A single column of this colossal octastyle dipteral Ionic temple (enneastyle on the west side) still stands, in the northeast corner.
Temple of Artemis, Ephesus --about a mile north-east from the ancient city. The first temple was burnt by the Cimmerians about 678. The second, which during the siege of Ephesus by Croesus was attached to the city by a rope, was finished during his reign and received many gifts from him, including the sculptured drums of some of the columns, one of which is in the British Museum. The huge Ionic front columns rested, it is thought, on great square blocks which brought their shaft bases on a level with the floor of the temple, and these blocks, as well as the lowest drums of the columns, were decorated with bas-reliefs. This second temple--the only Greek temple spared by Xerxes--was burnt down (by Herostratus--merely, it is said, in order to perpetuate his name!) on the very night when Alexander the Great was born ( 356). The third was begun at once and finished about 300. Alexander offered (c. 334) to bear the whole expense if he were allowed to have the fact recorded by an inscription; but his offer was declined with the rather clever excuse that "it was not meet for one deity to build a temple to another." (No such scruples seem to have deterred Croesus!) This third Ephesian temple was a copy of the second, but on a more magnificent scale, and was the largest temple of the Greek world. It was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders, and continued in use till the abolition of paganism.
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