A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of a triangular section or gable found above the horizontal superstructure (entablature) which lies immediately upon the columns. It is found throughout Classical and NeoClassical Architecture, most notably in the Greek temple form (the most prominent example being the Parthenon), where it was a pallette for beautiful, intricate sculptural detail. From the point of view of modern times, the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean sometimes seem to blend smoothly into one melange we call the Classical. ... A gable is the portion of a wall between the enclosing lines of a sloping roof. ... An entablature is a classical architectural element, the superstructure which lies horizontally above the columns, resting on their capitals. ... Roman pillar In architecture and structural engineering, a column is that part of a structure whose purpose is to transmit through compression the weight of the structure. ... The Greeks began to build monumental temples in the first half of the eighth century BC. The temples of Hera at Samos and of Poseidon at Isthmia were among the first erected. ... The Parthenon seen from the hill of the Pnyx to the west The Parthenon (Greek: Παρθενών) is the most famous surviving building of Ancient Greece and one of the most famous buildings in the world. ...

See also

• Classical order