Greek Columns

Whether building a new home or giving your old home a face-lift, elegant Greek columns can assign a touch of class. Although the column originated with the Egyptians, the Greeks, and then the Romans have further developed them. There are three classical orders or styles to the Greek column, the Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian. Each is distinguished from the other by their proportions, the type of shaft, and the capital utilized.
Doric Order

The simple Greek Column is from the Doric order. These architectural structures are believed to have originated on mainland Greece and Western Greece. The columns from the Doric order are recognized by their short, thick pillars and plain round tops or capitals.
From Eastern Greece came the Ionic order. Slender, fluted shafts and more ornate capitals with two opposing scrolls characterize their structural poles.

The most decorative columns are from the Corinthian order. These feature narrow, fluted columns and elaborate capitals with four rows of acanthus leaves and four scrolls. This Greek order was designed by a fifth century Greek sculptor.