Welcome to the History of Western Architecture! We’re going to be studying the history of architecture, beginning in ancient Egypt and progressing through Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, and even some modern buildings. There will be a lot to watch and do in this class, so be prepared!
Days with an asterisk (*) mean you will have something to print.
Day 1*
1. What is Architecture? Architecture is more than just putting up walls and roofs. It’s the art and science of designing buildings and spaces where people live, work, learn, and play. It combines creativity and practicality to shape the world around us in ways that are both useful and beautiful.
At its core, architecture is about solving problems. Architects ask questions like: How can we make this space comfortable? How will people move through it? How can we make it safe, sustainable, and welcoming? Whether it’s a tiny house or a towering skyscraper, every structure is the result of hundreds of choices about shape, materials, light, air, and movement.
But architecture isn’t just about buildings—it’s about people. It influences how we feel and behave. A bright, open classroom can make learning easier. A peaceful park pavilion can bring communities together. A city full of well-designed spaces can inspire pride and creativity. That’s why architecture matters. It touches every part of our lives, even if we don’t always notice it.
Throughout history, architecture has also been a way for societies to express their culture and values. Think of the Egyptian pyramids, the Roman Colosseum, or the Gothic cathedrals of Europe. These structures tell stories about the people who built them and what they believed was important.
In short, architecture is everywhere. It shapes the places we call home, the spaces we gather in, and the landmarks we admire. It’s both functional and artistic, grounded in the present but always reaching toward the future. By learning about architecture, we learn more about the world, and ourselves.
2. Skim this article on Western Architecture. (Don’t try and read the whole thing unless you want to, but go through and look at all the pictures. Be sure to read their captions so you know what you’re looking at!)
*3. Print and complete the following worksheet. (Here is the answer key for when you are finished.) Be sure to record your score.
Day 2
1. Watch the documentary “How Ancient Architects Designed Their World.”
Day 3*
1. Today we’re going to begin a study of ancient Egyptian architecture. In order to understand their architecture, we need to begin with a basic understanding of ancient Egyptian culture. Watch this Crash Course video about ancient Egypt.
2. Read about ancient Egyptian art.
3. Then read about materials and techniques used in ancient Egyptian art.
4. Print and complete the worksheet “Building with a Purpose.” (Here is an answer key.) Record your score.
Day 4*
1. Watch the video “Who Built the Pyramids?”
2.The earliest pyramids were not the smooth-sided structures we usually imagine. Instead, the first attempt was the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built around 2670 BCE during the Third Dynasty. Designed by the architect Imhotep, it consisted of several mastabas (flat-roofed tombs) stacked on top of one another. This was the first time Egyptians used stone blocks on a large scale, and it marked the beginning of pyramid construction.
As the centuries passed, pyramid design evolved. The Bent Pyramid, built around 2600 BCE under Pharaoh Sneferu, was an early experiment in creating smooth sides. However, because the angle of the slope was too steep, the upper part had to be adjusted, giving it a bent shape. Sneferu also completed the Red Pyramid in 2590. It is considered the first true smooth-sided pyramid and served as a model for future designs.
The most famous pyramids are those at Giza, built during the Fourth Dynasty. These include the Great Pyramid of Khufu (also called Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure. The Great Pyramid, built beginning in 2550 BCE, stood over 480 feet tall and was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. These pyramids were built as tombs for pharaohs and were part of a larger mortuary complex, which included temples, causeways, and smaller pyramids for queens.
The construction of pyramids required incredible organization and engineering. Workers used limestone and granite, with copper tools to quarry and shape stones. Massive ramps were likely used to move the stones into place. Contrary to popular belief, these workers were not slaves but well-fed laborers who worked in rotating crews.
Over time, pyramid building declined. By the Middle Kingdom, around 2055 BCE, smaller and less elaborate pyramids were built, often using mudbrick instead of stone. By 1539 BCE, pharaohs began to build hidden tombs in the Valley of the Kings to protect them from tomb robbers, and the golden age of pyramid building had ended.
3. Explore with some digital tours.
4. Print and complete the worksheet “History of the Pyramids.” (Here is an answer key.) Record your score.
Day 5
1. Let’s learn more about pyramids! Read “The Great Pyramids of Giza.”
2. Then read the following:
Day 6
1. Watch the documentary “Discover the Secrets of Egypt: Engineering an Empire.”
Day 7
1. Today read about the Temple of Amun-Re and the Hypostyle Hall, Karnak.
2. Watch this video about the Karnak temple complex.
3. Look at the diagram of components in an Egyptian temple.
- Pylon: A massive, sloping gateway at the entrance of a temple, made of two tall towers with a doorway in between. It symbolizes the horizon where the sun rises.
- Processional Way: A wide, straight path leading up to the temple entrance, often lined with statues or sphinxes.
- Courtyard: An open space inside the temple complex, often surrounded by columns.
- Hypostyle Hall: A large hall filled with many columns that supported the roof.
- Sanctuary: The most sacred part of the temple, located at the very back. It usually contained a statue of the god and was accessible only to high priests and the pharaoh.
Day 8
1. Art was an integral part of building in ancient Egypt, particularly in religious or ceremonial buildings. Watch the documentary “The Scribes of Ancient Egypt.”***
Day 9
1. Egyptian Revival is a style of architecture that draws inspiration from the monuments and decorative elements of ancient Egypt. Although the original temples and pyramids were built thousands of years ago, their powerful shapes and symbolic forms have continued to influence architects into modern times.
The first major wave of Egyptian Revival architecture appeared in the early 19th century, especially after Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt (1798–1801). His expedition brought back drawings, artifacts, and a renewed fascination with the mysteries of ancient Egypt. This excitement spread across Europe and America, influencing art, fashion, and of course, architecture.
Buildings designed in the Egyptian Revival style often feature elements like massive pylons, lotus-shaped columns, obelisk-like decorations, and hieroglyph-inspired motifs. These structures were typically used for cemeteries, museums, government buildings, and even prisons, where the association with eternity, mystery, or authority was especially fitting.
One famous example is the Washington Monument, which, though technically an obelisk rather than a complete Egyptian structure, shows how Egyptian design ideas were adapted in monumental public architecture. Another is the Egyptian Building in Richmond, Virginia, a medical school building with clear references to temple design, including columns and carved cornices.
Egyptian Revival made another comeback in the 1920s, during the Art Deco period. After the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, the world was swept up in “Tutmania.” Egyptian imagery began to appear in everything from jewelry and movie sets to the façades of theaters and skyscrapers. This time, it blended with sleek lines and geometric patterns of Art Deco, resulting in buildings that felt both modern and ancient.
Though Egyptian Revival is no longer a dominant architectural trend, its legacy lives on. Architecture doesn’t just reflect the time it’s built in, but it is also influenced by the past.
2. Watch the video “Beyond the Pyramids: Tracing the Global Influence of Egyptian Revival.”
Day 10
1. As the power of ancient Egypt began to fade, new civilizations rose across the Mediterranean. Among them, the Greeks would develop an architectural style that, while very different from Egypt’s massive, mysterious stone temples and pyramids, would become equally influential. Like the Egyptians, the Greeks used architecture to express religious devotion and civic pride. But where Egyptian architecture emphasized permanence, monumentality, and inward-focused sacred spaces, Greek architecture introduced new ideals of balance, proportion, openness, and human-centered design. With open-air temples, precise geometry, and iconic columns, Greek architecture laid the foundation for Western architectural principles that are still used today.
2. Read the introduction to Greek architecture.
3. Watch the video “The Classical Orders.”
Day 11
1. Today, watch “How Classical Architecture Began in Ancient Greece.”
Day 12*
1. Read about Greek architectural orders.
2. Print page 1 of the PDF and label the diagrams. Record your score out of 15.
Day 13
1. Read the article “Greek Sanctuaries as Artistic Hubs.”
2. Watch the video “The Parthenon.”
Day 14*
1. Read about ancient Greek temples. (Stop when you get to ‘Priests and Priestesses at Ancient Greek Temples.’)
2. Watch the video about the basics of Greek temple architecture.
3. Print and complete the worksheet about Greek architecture. (Here is the answer key.) Record your score.
Day 15
1. Ancient Greece is considered the birthplace of Western drama. In ancient Greece, theater was a sacred part of religious life, especially in honor of the god Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, and celebration. One of the most important places for Greek theater was the Theater of Dionysus in Athens. Built into the side of the Acropolis, this open-air structure could hold up to 17,000 spectators.
Greek theaters were impressive architectural achievements. They were usually built into hillsides, using the natural slope of the land to create rows of seating called the theatron, meaning “viewing place.” From the theatron, audiences could look down on the circular orchestra, where the chorus sang and danced. Behind the orchestra stood the skene, a simple building that served as a backdrop and changing area for actors. Over time, the skene became more elaborate and often included painted scenery.
The Theater of Dionysus was one of the first permanent stone theaters. It hosted dramatic competitions during the Festival of Dionysia, a major event where playwrights like Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus presented their tragedies and comedies. These plays explored deep themes such as fate, justice, and the will of the gods. While most actors were male and wore masks to portray different characters, the performances were highly expressive and emotional.
One of the remarkable features of Greek theaters was their acoustics. Even people sitting in the very back row could hear the actors’ voices clearly, thanks to the shape and design of the space. This attention to sound and visibility shows how carefully the Greeks considered the experience of the audience.
Though the Theater of Dionysus is now in ruins, modern theaters and stadiums often copy the semi-circular layout of the Greek model. Many plays written for those ancient audiences are still performed around the world. These ancient spaces remind us that storytelling, performance, and shared cultural experiences have always been a vital part of human life.
2. Watch the video “The Theater of Dionysus.”
Day 16
1. In ancient Greece, the agora was the central public space in a city-state, kind of like a modern-day town square or marketplace. Instead of just a place to buy goods, though, it was the center of daily life, politics, business, philosophy, and community. The word agora means “gathering place” or “assembly.” Early on, it was used for military or political meetings, but over time it became a busy hub where citizens could meet to shop, discuss ideas, attend trials, or listen to speeches. Temples, administrative buildings, and public monuments often surrounded the agora, making it the heart of civic and religious life.
Famous agoras, like the one in Athens, were filled with statues, fountains, altars, and market stalls. Philosophers like Socrates and Plato spent time in the Athenian agora, speaking with students and debating ideas.
2. Along the edges of the agora were long covered walkways called stoas (plural of stoa). A stoa was a colonnaded (column-lined) building that provided shelter from the sun and rain. Stoas were open to the public and usually had a row of shops, meeting rooms, or offices behind the columns.
Stoas were important because they made the agora more functional in all kinds of weather, and they created a space for conversation, business, and philosophical teaching. One of the most famous examples is the Stoa of Attalos in Athens, which has been reconstructed and now serves as a museum.
3. Agoras and stoas tell us a lot about how the ancient Greeks lived. They valued public life, free discussion, and community participation. These spaces helped shape Greek democracy and philosophy, and the ideas formed there still influence modern societies. Many city centers today like plazas, civic centers, and open-air malls are modeled on the concept of the agora.
4. Watch the video “A Walk around the Athens Agora.”
Day 17
1. Today watch “The Foundations of Classical Architecture: Greek Classicism” to learn about the influence of Greek ideas on modern architecture.
Day 18
1. Today, design a Greek-style building of your choice. Be sure to use a minimum of 5 architectural elements that you have learned about. Label them on your diagram and record your score out of 20 (4 points per element: grade on correctly depicting it, correctly labeling it, correctly incorporating it into the building, and overall appearance.)
Day 19
1. Today watch the video “Greek and Roman Architecture: A Comparison.”
Day 20*
1. Today read the Introduction to Roman Architecture.
2. Watch the video “What is Roman Architecture: A Brief Summary.”
3. Print and complete this worksheet on the vocabulary of Roman Architecture. (Here is the answer key to score your work.)
Day 21
1. Read the article about Italo-Roman building techniques.
2. Write a short, 3-5 paragraph essay about how the invention of concrete affected Roman building techniques. What did it allow them to do? Why do you think they regularly covered it up? How did this lead to so much variety in technique? (Record your score out of 20.)
Day 22
1. Read about the Roman insula.
2. Watch the video about Roman insulae.
Day 23
1. Read about the Roman domus.
2. Watch the video about Roman houses.
