Propylon in the context of "Propylaea (Munich)"

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⭐ Core Definition: Propylon

In ancient Greek architecture, a propylon (/ˈprɒpɪlɒn/ or /ˈprɒupɪlɒn/; Ancient Greek πρόπυλον própulon)—also called a propylaeum (/prɒpɪˈləm/, a Latinized form of προπύλαιον propúlaion), and frequently referred to by the plural forms propyla and propylaea—is a monumental gateway. It serves as a partition, separating the secular and religious parts of a city. The prototypical Greek example is the propylaea that served as the entrance to the Acropolis of Athens. The Greek Revival Brandenburg Gate of Berlin and the Propylaea in Munich both evoke the central portion.

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Propylon in the context of Ancient Greek architecture

Ancient Greek architecture came from the Greeks, or Hellenes, whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland, the Peloponnese, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Anatolia and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest remaining architectural works dating from around 600 BC.

Ancient Greek architecture is best known for its temples, many of which are found throughout the region, with the Parthenon regarded, now as in ancient times, as the prime example. Most remains are very incomplete ruins, but a number survive substantially intact, mostly outside modern Greece. The second important type of building that survives all over the Hellenic world is the open-air theatre, with the earliest dating from around 525–480 BC. Other architectural forms that are still in evidence are the processional gateway (propylon), the public square (agora) surrounded by storied colonnade (stoa), the town council building (bouleuterion), the public monument, the monumental tomb (mausoleum) and the stadium.

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