ErectheionErectheion

A pretty flash templeA pretty flash temple

What was the Erechtheion?What was the Erechtheion? United several shrines into one building:United several shrines into one building: -The sacred Olive Tree of -The sacred Olive Tree of -The marks of ______ trident and the -The marks of ______ trident and the

subsequent spring subsequent spring -The tomb of Kekrops-The tomb of Kekrops -Shrine to snake of Erechtheos-Shrine to snake of Erechtheos -Sanctuary of Pandrosos-Sanctuary of Pandrosos -Altars for Attic Hero Boutes and -Altars for Attic Hero Boutes and

HephaistosHephaistos

The siteThe siteCould not be built in the original Could not be built in the original

position. Why?position. Why?

Built to the north of the Parthenon, but Built to the north of the Parthenon, but this created its own problems.this created its own problems.

Right on edge of Acropolis, so the site Right on edge of Acropolis, so the site sloped away to the north and the westsloped away to the north and the west

Nearby shrines ruled out grand Nearby shrines ruled out grand terracesterraces

These shrines had to incorporated These shrines had to incorporated into new temple areainto new temple area

The actual building!The actual building!

Built in Pentelic marble, it was built Built in Pentelic marble, it was built in the Ionic style. Why not Doric?in the Ionic style. Why not Doric?

The cellas were placed on two The cellas were placed on two different levels to account for the different levels to account for the slope, the higher on the east and the slope, the higher on the east and the lower on the north and west slopes.lower on the north and west slopes.

What does this mean for the rest of What does this mean for the rest of the building?the building?

ReconstructionReconstruction

This meant that the normal layout This meant that the normal layout with front and back porches (east with front and back porches (east and west axis) and surrounding and west axis) and surrounding collonade was impossible.collonade was impossible.

So there is the usual east porch…So there is the usual east porch…

East porchEast porch

East porchEast porch

But the porch on the west was left But the porch on the west was left out, and was instead placed on the out, and was instead placed on the north…north…

North porchNorth porch

North porchNorth porch

To balance this out, there is a small To balance this out, there is a small porch on the south side, commonly porch on the south side, commonly known as the porch of the maidens, known as the porch of the maidens, with Caryatid columns. with Caryatid columns.

We will talk about this porch in detail We will talk about this porch in detail a little bit later. a little bit later.

South porchSouth porch

South porchSouth porch

Interestingly, these two porches Interestingly, these two porches double the width of the of the double the width of the of the Erechtheion.Erechtheion.

What about the west porch??What about the west porch??

There was no west porch, but there There was no west porch, but there was an unusual façade which was an unusual façade which sheltered the tomb of Kekrops. sheltered the tomb of Kekrops.

This façade has two levels, one which This façade has two levels, one which corresponds to the same level as the corresponds to the same level as the north porch, the other corresponds to north porch, the other corresponds to the south porchthe south porch

West FaçadeWest Façade

Door to the tomb of KekropsDoor to the tomb of Kekrops

What effect does this have?What effect does this have? This gives the impression that there This gives the impression that there

are half columns sitting on a ledge.are half columns sitting on a ledge. The bases of these half columns are The bases of these half columns are

at the same level as those on the at the same level as those on the east porcheast porch

These columns were joined by a These columns were joined by a bronze grill all the way to the bronze grill all the way to the architravearchitrave

The lower levelThe lower level

The door to the tomb of Kekrops is The door to the tomb of Kekrops is on the lower level.on the lower level.

This lower west cella was for This lower west cella was for Poseidon and ErechtheusPoseidon and Erechtheus

It was divided into an anterooma nd It was divided into an anterooma nd two inner chambers.two inner chambers.

This could only be accessed through This could only be accessed through the north porchthe north porch

Access to the lower west cellasAccess to the lower west cellas