The ancient Greek artists were relentless in their pursuit of excellence. They developed changes and improved existing artistic trends and styles. Because of this intense passion of the arts Greek architecture evolved over the course a few centuries displaying the ideals of human beauty and architectural design that continue to influence today’s modern civilizations. One structure that represents Greek architecture at its best are Greek temples. Initially built up sites throughout Greece were called sanctuaries, they were thought to be sacred to one or more gods. The earliest sanctuaries included outdoor altars or shrines, as more structures were added to a sanctuary they started to take shape as a home for the gods also called a temple. Several building styles evolved, ranging from simple, one-room structures with columned porches to buildings surrounded entirely by columns. (Stokstad & Cothren, 2013, p.102). Two of the earliest styles in Greek architecture designs emerged during the Archaic period, the Doric and the Ionic order. Some of the most famous and well-preserved structures from this era are temples that built for the gods and have withstood the test of time. …show more content…
When Thomas Jefferson returned from France he introduced the Greek Revival architecture as a building style for the young republic of the US. Because of this choice of style many new building were constructed in the Doric order, examples include state capitols, courthouses, to plantation houses, hence what is known as Greek revival architecture. This revival of ancient architecture was not implemented for structure or economic reason but more so for a symbol of prosperity that is represented in Greek art. (Morris, 2004,