Erik Leonhard
Professor Bomboy
Humanities 101
September 12, 2015
From
Greece to Carlisle
The
Greeks were the some of the first pioneers of architecture. Some of the most
prominent styles of modern architecture originated from Greece. If you take a
look around, buildings everywhere resemble structures that were built in and
around 400 BC. In my hometown of Carlisle, many buildings stem from the designs
of ancient Greek architects. One building in particular that really idealizes
the style of the Greeks is Carlisle United Methodist Church, located in
downtown Carlisle.
Carlisle
United Methodist Church took its name in 1897; it was not built on that date
however ("Our Heritage"). The actual date of construction was not
stated on the CUMC website. The church stands tall on the corner of 45 South
West Street in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. CUMC is a conglomerate of churches. In
the spring of 2013, three local churches banned together to form the Carlisle
United Methodist Church. The three churches represented three traditions:
"...Evangelical, Methodist, and United Brethren..." ("Our
Heritage"). Every Sunday, people flock to CUMC to worship. The church also
hosts food drives, houses the homeless, and much more. The building itself is a
very large structure, and it would make the Greeks proud due to its Ionic
construction.
CUMC most resembles the Ionic order
(Fiero 123). The Ionic order "...was developed in Ionia on the Aegean
coast of Asia Minor in the mid-sixth century BC" ("Ionic
Order"). The Ionic order can be seen in the architecture of "...some
of the small temples on the Acropolis." in Greece (Fiero 123). The Ionic
order has many different characteristics, and each one is found in the
architecture of CUMC. There are four main columns supporting the original entrance
of the building' each one tapering thinner as they rise. Sitting atop each
column is a volute. If you follow the column to the bottom, each one sits on a
base and stylobate. Above the columns there is a beautiful frieze and atop the
frieze sits the pediment with a gable style roof.
Out
of the three orders, the Ionic order was chosen over the Doric order. The Ionic order is modeled after female
proportions as compared to the Doric male proportions. The female persona is
much more loving and graceful, making it a far better choice classical
order-wise. A church is a loving environment, which meshes perfectly with the
female-esque, Ionic proportions. Not only is the overall design of the building
amazing, but also when you look more deeply into the details, the architecture
and design becomes even more powerful.
The
architecture of CUMC conveys a powerful message. The large columns, topped with
volutes, signify the power of the church. When the Roman emperor Constantine
the Great approved Christianity, churches grew more powerful, eventually
turning into a theocracy in some parts of the world. I feel that the power of
the church is represented very well through the tall, mighty columns. The
volutes atop the columns also play a big part in the hidden meaning behind the
architecture. The volutes resemble scrolls. The scroll is significant because in
ancient times, religious text was written on scrolls. CUMC also has a cupola on the roof as well.
Cupolas are found throughout many Greek churches to this day (the example above is located in Megalochori, Santorini, Greece). The design of the
building was perfectly planned to fit as a place of worship and religion.
The Ionic style greatly enhanced the
building's use. Nothing is very large in Carlisle and the CUMC is huge. If you
were to walk down the sidewalks, CUMC is one building that would definitely
stand out. As soon as you lay eyes on the building you can immediately tell
that it is a church.
Works
Cited
Fiero, Gloria K., The Human Tradition. 6th
Ed. Vol.1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011.Print.
"Ionic Order." Ionic Order. Web. 12 Sept.
2015.
"Our Heritage." Carlisle United Methodist
Church PA. Web. 12 Sept. 2015.
Photo Citations
"Church Cupolas in Megalochori Village near Vedema
Resort | Sand In My Suitcase." Sand
In My Suitcase. Web. 12 Sept. 2015
"Three United Methodist Churches in Carlisle to
Merge." The Sentinel. 4 Mar. 2012. Web.
12 Sept. 2015.
