• The Acropolis showcased many of the Greek architectural designs.acropolis image by athanassios from Fotolia.com
  
  In Greek architecture, function was valued over decoration. Craftsmanship was paramount and was done to the degree of perfection. Ratios were key between all parts of the building. Their architectural advancements are still copied thousands of years later, and it is not difficult to see their influence in buildings in our current societies. The common thread in Greek architecture are the Greek orders of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.
  
  

Doric

• The most known example of the Doric order the ParthenonAthens image by fafoutis from Fotolia.com
  
  The first order created by the ancient Greeks was known as Doric, and it is also noted for its simplicity. The Doric order was made up of five main parts: the cornice, frieze, architrave, capital and shaft. The cornice was at the topmost of the design and had a plain front surface. The bottom surface of the cornice displayed miniature slabs which were visible when standing underneath. The cornice was also built on a slant. The frieze in the Doric order would be simply patterned. The architrave was plain and rested on the columns' capitals. Capitals were made of a circle topped by a square. The shaft is the main part of the column just under the capital. In the Doric order, the shaft is carved into flutes, or vertical channels, which meet to form a crisp edge. Unlike the Ionic and Corinthian orders there is no base in the Doric order so the columns sit directly on the stylobate, or steps.
  
  

The Ionic Order

• A classic Ionic capitalionic capital and column base, c. 1910 image by nextrecord from Fotolia.com
  
  The Ionic order was created next and had more decorative features than the Doric order. There were some similarities between the two as it was made up of the same parts, with the exception of the addition of the Ionic orders base. Some changes that gave this order its own style was the shafts which were taller and had flutes carved into them giving them a more slender appearance and the base which had a large stacked circular design. The capital which now featured a spiral scroll design, or a volute, gave the columns an easy recognizable style.
  
  

The Corinthian Order

• The Corinthian order is the most decorative of the three orderscorinthian temple image by Robert Kelly from Fotolia.com
  
  Taking the Ionic design and making it more ornate, the Greeks created the Corinthian order. This style was used for less Greek buildings than the other two orders, but it is the one that many modern people consider their finest architecture. The changes for the Corinthian order, from the Ionic order, were that the cornices were now flat, instead of slanted. Also the capitals were adorned with flowers, leaf shades and prickly foliage and while the spiral volutes were there, they were not as pronounced as in the Ionic order.