Editing Ancient Greek architecture (section)

==== Temple plans ====
{{Further|List of Ancient Greek temples}}
[[File:Greek temples.svg|thumb|600px|{{center|Plans of ancient Greek temples<br /> Top: 1. ''[[distyle in antis]]'', 2. ''amphidistyle in antis'', 3. ''tholos'', 4. ''prostyle tetrastyle'', 5. ''amphiprostyle tetrastyle'',<br /> Bottom: 6. ''dipteral octastyle'', 7. ''peripteral hexastyle'', 8. ''pseudoperipteral hexastyle'', 9. ''pseudodipteral octastyle'' }}]]
Most ancient Greek temples were rectangular, and were approximately twice as long as they were wide, with some notable exceptions such as the enormous [[Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens]], with a length of nearly 2{{frac|1|2}} times its width. A number of surviving temple-like structures are circular, and are referred to as ''tholos''.<ref name=BF6>{{harvnb|Fletcher|1996|pp=107–109}}.</ref> The smallest temples are less than 25 metres (approx. 75 feet) in length, or in the case of the circular ''tholos'', in diameter. The great majority of temples are between 30 and 60 metres (approx. 100–200 feet) in length. A small group of Doric temples, including the [[Parthenon]], are between 60 and 80 metres (approx. 200–260 feet) in length. The largest temples, mainly Ionic and Corinthian, but including the Doric [[Temple of the Olympian Zeus, Agrigento]], were between 90 and 120 metres (approx. 300–390 feet) in length.

The temple rises from a stepped base or [[stylobate]], which elevates the structure above the ground on which it stands. Early examples, such as the Temple of Zeus at Olympus, have two steps, but the majority, like the Parthenon, have three, with the exceptional example of the Temple of Apollo at Didyma having six.<ref name=BF>{{harvnb|Fletcher|1996}}.</ref> The core of the building is a masonry-built "naos" within which is a cella, a windowless room originally housing the statue of the god. The cella generally has a porch or "pronaos" before it, and perhaps a second chamber or "antenaos" serving as a treasury or repository for trophies and gifts. The chambers were lit by a single large doorway, fitted with a wrought iron grill. Some rooms appear to have been illuminated by skylights.<ref name="BF" />

On the stylobate, often completely surrounding the naos, stand rows of columns. Each temple is defined as being of a particular type, with two terms: one describing the number of columns across the entrance front, and the other defining their distribution.<ref name="BF" />

Examples:
*''[[Distyle in antis]]'' describes a small temple with two columns at the front, which are set between the projecting walls of the ''pronaos'' or porch, like the Temple of Nemesis at Rhamnus. <small>(see above, figure 1.)</small> <ref name="BF6" />
*''Amphiprostyle tetrastyle'' describes a small temple that has columns at both ends which stand clear of the ''naos''. ''Tetrastyle'' indicates that the columns are four in number, like those of the Temple on the Ilissus in Athens. <small>(figure 4.)</small> <ref name="BF6" />
*''Peripteral hexastyle'' describes a temple with a single row of peripheral columns around the ''naos'', with six columns across the front, like the Theseion in Athens. <small>(figure 7.)</small> <ref name="BF6" />
*''Peripteral octastyle'' describes a temple with a single row of columns around the ''naos'', <small>(figure 7.)</small> with eight columns across the front, like the Parthenon, Athens. <small>(figures 6 and 9.)</small> <ref name="BF6" />
*''Dipteral decastyle'' describes the huge temple of Apollo at Didyma, with the ''naos'' surrounded by a double row of columns, <small>(figure 6.)</small> with ten columns across the entrance front.<ref name="BF6" />
* The Temple of Zeus Olympius at Agrigentum, is termed ''Pseudo-periteral heptastyle'', because its encircling colonnade has ''pseudo'' columns that are attached to the walls of the ''naos''. <small>(figure 8.)</small> ''Heptastyle'' means that it has seven columns across the entrance front.<ref name="BF6" />