What were the purpose of Greek temples?

What were the purpose of Greek temples?

Temples were frequently used to store votive offerings. They are the most important and most widespread building type in Greek architecture. In the Hellenistic kingdoms of Southwest Asia and of North Africa, buildings erected to fulfil the functions of a temple often continued to follow the local traditions.

What were Greek temples dedicated to?

god
Each ancient Greek temple was dedicated to a specific god within the pantheon and was used in part as a storehouse for votive offerings. Unlike a church, the interior space was not used as a meeting place, but held trophies and a large cult statue of the deity.

What was the purpose of Greek architecture?

Greek architecture is important for several reasons: (1) Because of its logic and order. Logic and order are at the heart of Greek architecture. The Hellenes planned their temples according to a coded scheme of parts, based first on function, then on a reasoned system of sculptural decoration.

What are the two main functions of a Greek temple?

What was the function of a Greek temple? The temple was dedicated to a god and used to house the cult statue of that god. It was a house for that god to stay in when they left Olympus. Only priests were allowed inside the temple building.

What did Greek temples symbolize?

Today many religious buildings are places where people gather on regular basis to praise their God and to receive spiritual tranquillity. These ancient Greek sanctuaries were meant to serve as homes for the individual god or goddess who protected the region. …

What do Greek temples symbolize?

The Role of the Temple Ancient Greek temples were rarely used this way. They were meant to serve as homes for the individual god or goddess who protected and sustained the community. The god or goddess was represented by a cult image— usually a seated or standing statue— which occupied the central place in the temple.

What is the main function of a temple?

A temple (from the Latin ‘templum’) is a structure usually built for the purpose of, and always dedicated to, religious or spiritual activities including prayer, meditation, sacrifice and worship.

What were early religious temples called?

The Romans usually referred to a holy place of a pagan religion as fanum; in some cases this referred to a sacred grove, in others to a temple. Medieval Latin writers also sometimes used the word templum, previously reserved for temples of the ancient Roman religion.

What is the best known temple in Greece?

Greece has an incredible number of landmarks to visit, both ancient and modern. However, the Parthenon Temple of the Athens Acropolis is arguably the most important Greek landmark you should see. It was built in the 5th century BC, about 2,500 years ago.

What did ancient Greeks have in their temples?

The ancient Greeks used the temples as the sacred place whereby they would be able to leave specific types of offerings. Depending upon the wealth and status of the individual, these offerings might include flowers, food, personal valuables, jewelry, oils and incense.

What were the Ancient Greek temples made out of?

Most Greek temples were oriented astronomically. Between the 9th century BCE and the 6th century BCE, the ancient Greek temples developed from the small mud brick structures into double- porched monumental “peripteral” buildings with colonnade on all sides, often reaching more than 20 metres in height (not including the roof).

What was the function of the Greek temples?

The purpose of a Greek temple was usually to house a cult statue or emblem. Religion did not require people to gather inside the temple to worship, and their temples were primarily monuments to the gods. The most recognizable feature of the Greek temple are the massive columns.