What is Corinthian?
Corinthian is the third and most decorative of the three classical Greek architectural orders, recognised by its elaborate capital featuring two rows of acanthus leaves and small corner volutes. The order is named after the Greek city of Corinth and has been in use since the 5th century BC.
Characteristics
- Capital — tall and bell-shaped, decorated with stylised acanthus leaves and spiral volutes at the corners
- Column — slender and fluted, with a height of roughly ten times its diameter
- Base — a moulded foot similar to the Ionic order
- Entablature — richly decorated with architrave, frieze and cornice
Applications
- Greek temples — such as the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens
- Roman architecture — the Romans used the Corinthian order extensively, including at the Pantheon
- Renaissance — rediscovery and revival of the classical orders
- Neoclassical buildings — courthouses, museums and government buildings in the 18th and 19th centuries
Difference from Doric and Ionic
The Doric order is the simplest (no base, plain capital), the Ionic has the characteristic scroll (volute) capital, and the Corinthian is the most richly ornamented. The Romans added the Composite order — a combination of Ionic and Corinthian.
Related terms
- Classical orders
- Column
- Capital
- Acanthus
- Architrave
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