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Roman Architecture | Architectural Pillars Trace Back to Roman Times

Architectural pillars utilized in our ultramodern day owe an amazing amount of the ideas to the Roman architects. See the Romans were actually the first culture to use the columns and they did it so much that they actually made architectural columns recognized across the globe. The main intention of the Roman columns used in the Empire were used for both practical and functional reasons but, they were also used for aesthetic reasons as well. The Romans like the aristocrats were really concerned with things that were beautiful.

Obviously looking back on things like The Colosseum, Aqueduct of Segovia and the Roman Arenas these places are all places of beauty even if they weren't used for things OF beauty. As we all know the arenas were usually a place of blood-shed. But when you actually look at the arenas that were available the architectural is just stunning. I mean it still makes me wonder how the Colosseum was built in 72 A.D and yet it looks like it was built now.

Seriously innovative and advanced beyond their time! A Roman basilica, a roofed hall with a large central area called a nave, flanked by side rooms, would often use architectural columns. The first basilicas were used for business meetings and legal proceedings. This kind of construction was later conformed by the Christians and became a standard blueprint for church edifices many of which are still used today. The main center of Rome was the forum and this was true for all of the other Roman cities as well.

This was often an open area surrounded by stores and it was the primary meeting place of each town. They also had the Senate, Office, Roman Basilica, Sacred Buildings and Civic buildings. Of course if Rome was the place of birth for columns and pillars you would also suspect that these buildings would also use the same pillars and you are correct. In fact, it became almost a "rule" of sorts. The Roman influence was frequently seen throughout the Middle Ages in places such as Palaces and cathedrals in churches. A lot of these incredible buildings have survived since the modern times (as has The Colosseum) and still stand to this day!

To see the influence the architectural columns of Roman times have had on us today simply take a walk around the grounds of any university that is more than fifty years old. At the very least the administration building, and probably most all of the classroom buildings will employ architectural pillars as well. The Roman influence on our architecture is the same now, and always has been apparent if you only take the time to look!

This author is a HUGE fan of Architecture

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristi_Ambrose

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