| When designing a public building or a custom house, | | | | Greek era that preceded the Roman Empire. There |
| an architect is often looking for opportunities to | | | | are many facets of Roman architecture that can be |
| include unique design touches. Since ancient times, | | | | recognized as having originated in Greece and the |
| one of the more distinctive architectural touches of | | | | Roman column is one of them. The Romans adopted |
| choice for both public and private buildings has been | | | | the three Greek architectural styles for columns - |
| the column. | | | | Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian - and added two of their |
| Greek Columns | | | | own: the Tuscan and Composite. |
| The columns used in construction of ancient Greek | | | | These five design variations are the principal styles |
| buildings that survive today can be divided into three | | | | found in Roman columns. Very similar in style to |
| architectural categories: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. | | | | Greek columns, the principal differences in Roman |
| Primarily differentiated by the design of the column's | | | | column designs are in the bases and the capitals. |
| top, Greek columns are also distinguishable by their | | | | Tuscan Columns |
| bases and the relative width of the column's shaft. | | | | The simplest Roman column is the Tuscan, which is |
| Another distinguishing characteristic of Greek columns | | | | an adaptation of the Greek Doric style. But unlike the |
| is that they were often "fluted," meaning that they | | | | Doric, the Tuscan has no base, no fluting and a |
| had channels carved into the shaft running parallel to | | | | saucer shaped top that supports a flat square area |
| one another along its length. The aesthetic tradition | | | | above it. |
| for fluting called for twenty four channels along each | | | | Roman Doric Columns |
| column. | | | | The Roman version of the Doric columns have bases |
| The three styles of Greek columns developed over | | | | and a top similar to the Tuscan; the shafts are fluted |
| time from basic to ornate as the Greek civilization | | | | but with fewer and shallower channels than the |
| grew, prospered and invested in public grandeur. | | | | Greek style. |
| Doric Columns | | | | Roman Ionic Columns |
| Generally speaking, the oldest and simplest design | | | | Roman columns in the Ionic style have capitals that |
| among the Greek columns is the Doric. The Doric | | | | feature scrolled carvings at the corners of the square |
| column's top, known as the capital, is a simple | | | | top. They are similar but more ornate than their |
| saucer-shaped design that is wider than the column's | | | | Greek counterpart. |
| shaft and opens upward to support the square top | | | | Roman Corinthian Columns |
| surface which in turn provides the structural support | | | | The Corinthian design is the most elaborate of the |
| for which the column is designed. | | | | Greek styles adopted by the Romans. Its capital |
| Ionic Columns | | | | features detailed carvings of leaves and flowers, |
| The Ionic style of the Greek column has a capital | | | | often extending down the column. |
| that features a carved scroll curving out from each | | | | Composite Columns |
| corner of its square top. These scrolls, also called | | | | The Composite style is a Roman column that |
| spirals or helixes, are often connected in the carving - | | | | combines features of both the Greek Ionic and |
| resembling a piece of paper with both ends wrapped | | | | Corinthian designs. This elaborate and intricate carving |
| and curled downward. | | | | style incorporated the acanthus leaves and floral |
| Corinthian Columns | | | | designs with the scrolls or spirals found in Ionic |
| The Corinthian Greek column is the most ornate and | | | | designs. |
| the most slender of the three designs. The base of a | | | | Architectural columns can be decorative, load bearing, |
| Greek column was more functional than decorative | | | | or both no matter which style is chosen and have a |
| until the Corinthian style was developed. The capital | | | | number of uses that range from the purely functional |
| on a Corinthian design has carved acanthus leaves, | | | | to intricately decorative. |
| often wrapped around carved scrolls and interspersed | | | | Columns.net is the leading provider of interior/exterior |
| with carved flowers or other ornamentation. | | | | architectural columns. Using the finest materials to |
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| The ancient Roman civilization adopted many of the | | | | matchless in customization, variety, and quality. To |
| social, cultural and physical characteristics of the | | | | find out more, please visit columns.net. |