Features
What Are Ionic Columns?
The Ionic order is one of the three ancient Greek architectural orders. Of the three orders—Ionic, Corinthian, and Doric—Ionic columns are distinguishable by their scroll-shaped capitals at the top and their more slender widths.
While Doric is the oldest of the Greek orders, Ionic came next. Named after Ionia, the region in modern-day Turkey where they were first developed, Ionic columns have a more narrow, lightweight appearance than their sturdier Doric relatives.
Besides their scroll-shaped capitals, Ionic columns stand on a base that separates the shaft from the platform, and they have a 9:1 height to diameter ratio which gives them a thinner, elegant appearance. Read on to learn more about how to identify Ionic columns, including defining characteristics, history, and famous buildings in the Doric style.
History of the Ionic Order of Greek Architecture
The Ionic order originated in the 6th century BC in Ionia, on the western coast of Anatolia and now part of modern-day Turkey. The first Ionic temple was the Temple of Hera on the island of Samos, which was leveled by an earthquake only a decade after its completion. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, now in Turkey’s İzmir Province, was also one of the earlier examples of the Ionic order, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The column design made it to mainland Greece a century or two later—you’ll see Ionic columns at the Temple of Apollo and at the Erechtheion in Athens. Ionic columns can also be seen in ancient Egyptian architecture and in places like Pakistan following Alexander the Great’s conquests. You’ll find examples of Ionic columns in buildings throughout the Renaissance and after—the style was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries as well.
Whether the capital scrolls represent plant life, shells, ram horns, or something else is unclear. Vitruvius thought that while Doric columns represented the masculine, with their stouter proportions, Ionic columns represented the feminine—with more slender proportions topped by a capital that could represent a woman's hair.
Read more: Where to buy classic columns & capitals
Characteristics of Ionic Columns
The Ionic order is characterized by its more feminine, graceful look. The columns’ swirled capitals and slender width add to their refinement. Discover the other distinguishing features of Ionic columns below.
Scroll-shaped capitals
Also known as volutes, the scroll-shaped capitals at the top of an Ionic column are their most defining feature. Sometimes the volutes lay on a single plane, and sometimes the ends of the volute are angled out.
A slender, elegant appearance
Ionic columns tend to have a 9:1 ratio of height to diameter. This gives them a fairly thin appearance, signaling grace and sophistication.
Attic base
The base between the column’s shaft and platform is an attic base. This means it comprises an upper and lower torus, or rounded disk shape, with a concave molding in between.
Fluted shafts
While an ionic column’s shaft can be smooth, they’re most often fluted. You’ll usually find 24 flutes with rounded ends and flat spaces in between—the flutes don’t come to a point like they do on Doric columns.
Egg-and-dart molding
The capital’s abacus, which sits in between the swirls of the scrolls, often has an egg-and-dart pattern. The pattern comprises alternating ovular shapes and dart (or arrow) shapes.
Famous Examples of Ionic Columns
Famous buildings with Ionic columns include the British Museum in London, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Read on for photos and details of some of the world’s prominent Ionic columns.
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
One of the earliest examples of the Ionic order, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus is located in modern-day Turkey and was first built around the 6th century BC. Today, only foundations and fragments of the temple remain.
Erechtheion in Athens
Also known as the Temple of Athena Polias, the Erechtheion is located on the north side of the Acropolis in Athens. It was built around the later 5th century BC by the architect Mnesikles and is dedicated to the goddess Athena.
Jefferson Memorial
Built in the early 1940s, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. is one of architect John Russell Pope’s most well-known works. The rotunda style of the neoclassical building is inspired by the Pantheon in Rome and Jefferson’s own architecture at the University of Virginia.
University of Virginia, Old Cabell Hall
While the University of Virginia’s famous Rotunda is built in the Corinthian order, its Old Cabell Hall, completed in 1898, has Ionic style columns and is now the center of the school’s music program.
British Museum
One of the world’s most prominent examples of Ionic architecture, the British Museum in London is a sprawling public museum built in the 1750s with an elaborate facade containing dozens of Ionic columns.
The Arcade, Providence
The Arcade in Providence, Rhode Island, also known as the Westminster Arcade, was finished in 1828 and was the country’s first indoor shopping mall. Built in the Greek Revival style, it’s now a mixed-use building with shops on the first floor and apartments on the second.
What does the Ionic order symbolize?
Typically used in temples dedicated to goddesses, the Ionic order symbolizes elegance and femininity. Its columns are slender and have detailed capitals, unlike its stocky, simpler, more masculine Doric predecessor.
Who created the Ionic order?
While the Ionic order was created by the Ionians, rather than one single person, two of the most prominent Ionian architects were Pytheos and Hermogenes.
Did Romans use Ionic columns?
The Romans adopted Ionic columns from the Greek and used them regularly. The Roman versions of Ionic columns often had four-corner capital designs that angled out, rather than staying on a single plain.
Which is older: Corinthian or Ionic?
While Ionic and Corinthian columns originated at similar times, the Ionic order is older than the Corinthian one. The Ionic order was first recorded in the 6th century BC, and the Corinthian order was recorded later—though not much later—in the 5th century BC.
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