From the history of architecture

The history of architecture aims at displaying clearly the characteristic features of the architecture of each country by comparing the buildings of each period and by studying influences – geographical, geological, climatic, religious, social and historical – which have contributed to the formation of a particular style. The best way to learn about architecture is to study actual buildings and museums which provide excellent opportunities for examining details of style. The analysis of the characteristic features which resulted from solving certain structural problems enable to visualize clearly the main factors which brought about changes in each style.

Architecture is the art with which we all are in daily contact for it shelters us, gives us ‘home’. Finally, architecture is the mother of the arts of sculpture, painting and allied decorative arts.

Architecture, with all its varying phases and complex developments, must have had a simple origin in the primitive efforts of mankind to provide protection against inclement weather, wild beasts and human enemies in rock, caves, huts and tents. Here in caves, huts and tents we find the three primitive types of human dwellings, the three germs of later architectural developments.

The history of architecture is a record of continuous evolution. A glance along the past reveals architecture as a history of social condition progress and religion and events which are landmarks in the history of mankind; for as architecture is in all periods connected with national life, the genius of a nation is unmistakably stamped on its architectural monuments.

Architectural styles, by the test of evolution, fall naturally into several groups: styles beginning in Egypt and Assyria, reached their highest development in Europe, and styles of Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Ancient American, and Saracenic architecture.

Egyptian architecture. The natural products, such as timber, brick, clay and stone, largely determine the character of the architecture of a country. Stone, including limestone, sandstone and alabaster, as well as the harder syenite, granite or porphyry, was the material chiefly employed, not only for constructive or decorative work, but also for vases and even for personal ornaments, as the country was poor in metal and there was little building timber.

The gigantic scale which distinguishes Egyptian architecture was made possible not only by the materials, but also by the methods of quarrying, transporting and raising enormous blocks of stone into position.

The architecture of Egypt is characterized by massive walls, close-spaced columns carrying stone lintels which, in their turn, support the flat roof.

The Pyramids, which are amongst the oldest monuments, were religious in origin and reveal not only the religious faith but also the social and industrial conditions in those far-off days; for such massive buildings would have not been possible without a despotic government and the forced labour of a vast population of slaves and captives.

European architecture up to this period may be divided into three main types, differentiated by important constructive principles.

1) The Greek or trabeated style, consisting of column and beam.

2) The Roman or composite style combining column and semicircular arch and vault.

3) The Gothic or arcuated style is that, in which the pointed arch prevailed.

Greek architecture. The chief mineral wealth of Greece was in her marble – the most beautiful and monumental of all building materials. The Greeks attached so much importance to the quality of fine-grained marble for producing exact outlines and smooth surfaces, that they even coated coarse-grained limestone with a layer of marble ‘stucco’ in order to secure this effect, which is the great characteristic of their architecture. The architecture of Greece reflects each stage of Greek history with remarkable accuracy and her architecture has influenced all styles down to our own day.

Roman architecture. In addition to marble the Romans could quarry terracotta, stone, and brick, all of which they used even for important things. In the neighbourhood of Rome there was travertine, a hard limestone from Tivoli, tufa, a volcanic substance of which the hills of Rome are mainly composed, besides excellent sand and gravel. The building material, however, which led to great structural innovations, was concrete formed of pozzolana, a clean sandy earth which has a peculiar property when mixed with lime. It was exceedingly hard and cohesive concrete. Not only domes and vaults but also walls were frequently formed of this concrete, and they were faced with brick, stone, alabaster, porphyry and other marbles. The architecture of Rome was largely influenced by the Etruscan arch so that a complex type resulted from blending the Greek column and entablature as decorative facings to piers with semicircular arches but they still used columns constructively. By the use of newly invented concrete and by the employment of the arch, vault and dome the architecture of Rome became the foundation of European architecture.

Gothic architecture. The establishment of Christianity as the state religion resulted in the construction in Rome of over thirty churches. It gave an impetus to the marvelous architectural developments of the Medieval period which were in their turn developed from Romanesque architecture, and to which the name of Gothic has since been given. Gothic architecture of the thirteenth century is mainly distinguished from Romanesque architecture by the introduction and general use of the pointed arch and by employing small stones held together with thick mortar joints. (5700)