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Doric order facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Doric order was one of the main styles of building in Ancient Greece. The other two styles were called the Corinthian order and the Ionic order. Each style, or 'order,' had its own special look, especially for the columns. A Doric building included parts like the base, the tall column (called a shaft), the top part of the column (called a capital), and the section above the columns (called the entablature), which had an architrave, a frieze, and a cornice.

Parthenon, Athens, Greece
A Doric order temple, the Parthenon, Greece
Doric
Features of the Doric style

The Doric style was the oldest of the three. Ancient Greeks used it for many of their important buildings and temples, like the famous Parthenon in Athens. People think this style first started with buildings made of wood. Doric columns look strong and heavy. They have a simple, round top part (capital) that looks like a saucer, and they don't have a separate base at the bottom.

Doric Style Details

The numbers refer to the picture on the right The columns (17) in the Doric style have about 20 grooves cut into them. These grooves are called flutes (18).

The very top of the column is called the capital (14). It is made of a few small rings called annulets. Above these rings is a saucer-shaped piece called the echinus (16). On top of the echinus is a square stone block called the abacus (15). This abacus supports the entablature.

The entablature is the part of the building that rests on top of the columns. It is usually about one-third the height of the column. The entablature has three main parts:

  • The architrave (13) is a plain, flat beam right above the columns.
  • Above the architrave is the frieze. The frieze has special blocks called triglyphs (8). These blocks have three vertical grooves.
  • Between the triglyphs are square spaces called metopes (9). Sometimes, these metopes were decorated with sculptures.

Above the frieze is the cornice. The cornice has large blocks called mutules (5) that stick out over the frieze. The bottom surface of these blocks is called the soffit. Above this, there is a plain, flat stone face called the corona. The very top of the cornice often has more decorations.


Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Orden dórico para niños

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