The Geometry of Perfection: The Parthenon's Curves
In short: The Parthenon was constructed between 447 and 438 BCE on the Athenian Acropolis as part of a massive public building program masterminded by the statesman Pericles [src_02, src_03, src_04]. Designed by architects Ictinus and Callicrates under the supervision of Phidias, the temple is a Doric structure featuring sophisticated architectural refinements [src_01, src_02, src_06]. These refinements include an upward curvature of the stylobate (base) and entablature, the inward inclination of columns, and the contraction of column spacing at the corners [src_01, src_06]. A key feature is 'entasis,'…
A 1:35 short film in the series “Architecture Icons”.
Sources used in this film: Great Buildings Online, “The Parthenon - Ictinus and Callicrates with Phidias - Great Buildings Online”; fab.wiki.edu.gr, “Who Built The Parthenon In Greece? The Shocking Truth Behind Athens' Golden Age”; King's College London, “The Periclean building program”; World History torna, “Pericles & the Restoration of the Athenian Agora”; Britannica, “Parthenon | Definition, History, Architecture, Columns, Greece, & Facts | Britannica”; arXiv, “The illusion of illusions:There are no optical corrections in the Parthenon”; The Guardian, “UK mathematician debunks myth around Parthenon’s optical illusions”.
Sources used in this film
- Great Buildings Online — The Parthenon - Ictinus and Callicrates with Phidias - Great Buildings Online · View →
- fab.wiki.edu.gr — Who Built The Parthenon In Greece? The Shocking Truth Behind Athens' Golden Age · View →
- King's College London — The Periclean building program · View →
- World History torna — Pericles & the Restoration of the Athenian Agora · View →
- Britannica — Parthenon | Definition, History, Architecture, Columns, Greece, & Facts | Britannica · View →
- arXiv — The illusion of illusions:There are no optical corrections in the Parthenon · View →
- The Guardian — UK mathematician debunks myth around Parthenon’s optical illusions · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Great Buildings Online: The Parthenon - Ictinus and Callicrates with Phidias - Great Buildings Online
- Also: fab.wiki.edu.gr: Who Built The Parthenon In Greece? The Shocking Truth Behind Athens' Golden Age
- Also: King's College London: The Periclean building program
- Also: World History torna: Pericles & the Restoration of the Athenian Agora
- Also: Britannica: Parthenon | Definition, History, Architecture, Columns, Greece, & Facts | Britannica
- Also: arXiv: The illusion of illusions:There are no optical corrections in the Parthenon
- Also: The Guardian: UK mathematician debunks myth around Parthenon’s optical illusions
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