The practice of architecture was once purely utilitarian, designed to satisfy our basic needs for shelter and food. As society progressed, architects began incorporating more complex ideas into their work. These concepts focused on how well built buildings influenced people’s perception of life, the universe, and everything else.

The most famous example of this is the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Designed as an open-air meeting place or “palace” for the gods, it also served as a powerful symbol of religious unity. Many cultures across time have considered its shape sacred because they associate the circle with perfection, rebirth, and restoration.

Architecture has since been used for many different purposes. To praise someone's achievements, for instance, or as a way to show off one's own wealth and power.

These other uses are sometimes referred to as propaganda, but we can still identify them because they lack the moral underpinnings that true art does.

The pyramids of Giza

Pyramids are such an integral part of Egyptian culture that it is hard to imagine Egypt without them. These towering structures were built over several centuries, starting with the late 4th millennium B.C. and going up until the early 18th century BC when most of the kings were buried within their own pyramid complexes.

Pyramid architecture was used in two ways. Some were burial tombs for rulers, while others served as temples or shrines. However, all of these buildings had one thing in common — they epitomized immortality and eternal life.

These concepts are heavily rooted in religion, which makes sense because ancient Egyptians considered themselves religious people. They worshipped many different gods throughout their history and practiced various rituals and ceremonies related to each one.

Remains of worship include depictions and artifacts like statues, paintings, and other decorations. Pyramid-shaped sculptures can be found everywhere from furniture to jewelry to weapons. Many of these have direct connections to either a god’s domain or his person.

The Great Wall of China

The first major use of architecture was to establish an empire or rule over large territories. This is what made ancient empires like the Roman Empire, Persian Empires, and Chinese dynasties possible!

The great wall of china is one example of this. It took years for people to complete this structure, but it was all worth it. When construction on the wall began during the Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220), there were only about 5 million people living in China. By the time it was finished around 250-300AD, that number had more than doubled.

By establishing an aura of mystery and fear surrounding the wall, the emperor was able to keep control over his territory. Stories spread quickly about how many animals died due to lack of food or water, creating skepticism about whether the wall would hold up under stress.

These fears proved well founded as the wall failed several times. In fact, some sections of the wall no longer stand today because they could not be rebuilt properly. But despite these setbacks, the wall still stands tall today as one of humanity’s greatest achievements.

The Lascaux cave paintings

There are many theories about what the artists at Lascaux were trying to depict with their illustrations, but one theory is that they used architecture as an inspiration for their designs. They painted animals next to each other or beside large shapes — think horses next to a mountain range, or a fox next to a house.

It is thought that these references helped inspire the artists to create more realistic pictures of bison, wolves, deer, and even birds. By using architectural elements to give shape to their compositions, the artists were able to emphasize specific parts of the picture.

These ideas worked because people living during this time period understood how important it was to use well-designed buildings when creating images of natural landscapes or complex structures. This connected to the ancient belief that those who lived close to nature had strong connections to the spirit world.

We can still see this influence today in art forms such as landscape painting or depictions of Native American tribes.

The Colosseum

Like mentioned before, not every well-known structure was designed to be admired for its artistic beauty. Some were built with a specific function in mind- such as the Roman coliseum that we now call the “Theater”.

This wasn't the case though, at least not entirely!

Most people recognize the colossusm from its famous arena shape, but what many don’t realize is that it took over 200 years to complete!

It was actually constructed over several decades by various architects and artists. All these individuals had their own ideas about how the structure should look like and what decorations or features should be included.

Many believe this internal competition helped create one of the most recognizable shapes in all of architecture.

Other theories suggest that the colossusm's unique oval roof helps emulate the sun which gives those attending relief during hot summer days.

The Vatican

After Rome, the next major city that used architecture to convey devotion was the Holy Roman Empire’s capital, Vienna. Like ancient Rome, imperial Austria built their empires through military conquest and rule over other people.

But instead of conquering tribes and kingdoms for themselves, they would contribute to an overarching religious ideology that already existed at the time.

In this case, it was Christianization. By using architecture as a vehicle to promote Christianity, the Austro-Hungarian empire made clear their allegiance to the church.

Many aspects of Austrian architectural styles show strong ties to medieval Romanesque and Gothic art. These include thick walls, rounded arches, and heavy use of stone.

The Hofburg Palace is one example of this style. This eight-story palace complex was constructed from 1546 to 1603 and now houses various government offices.

It features ornate decorations, including sculptures and paintings depicting classical stories like the Trojan War.

The Moai statues in Hawaii

In ancient times, people revered architecture to a very close degree. Many civilizations lived and died without leaving much behind aside from their buildings or structures. Some even made no use of building materials at all!

Many cultures placed significant importance on having beautiful temples, palaces, and other such buildings. These buildings were not only aesthetically pleasing to look at, but also gave them a sense of unity and self-confidence. They represented who the people living inside the area were as individuals, what they wanted for themselves, and how well they had done so far in life.

In some cases, these buildings still stand today, serving similar purposes for generations to come. This is because many people are inspired by them to do new things and achieve new goals. Others simply appreciate how beautifully designed they are. A small minority actually makes money off of them, investing in expensive renovations or taking over ownership.

Ancestral reverence of architecture was most notably seen in the forms of sculpture and painting. Sculptures like those mentioned above, as well as others, were erected with great care and invested time in creation. Artists would go into painstaking detail to create perfect representations of mythological figures or real life people.

Paintings were likewise given special attention to ensure that they portrayed accurate depictions. Both types of art needed several rounds of revising and reworking before being considered finished. Only then could they be appreciated fully.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

In Japan, there is one structure that has withstood the test of time as being sacred. That structure is the great Buddha of Kamakura.

The statue was made around the year 1130 and it’s located about twenty minutes south west from Tokyo. It sits within an enclosed area called Daishonben, which means “Great Compassionate Buddha Hall.”

This name isn’t just symbolic; this place really does feel like a temple. There are many reasons for this, but perhaps the biggest one is how the architecture shapes your perception.

As you enter the hall, you have to pass through two gates before reaching the main chamber where the statue resides. This creates a sense of separation between people coming into the space and the Buddha himself, making it seem more like an individual deity rather than something connected to the larger community.

Another reason why the Daishonben feels like a sanctuary comes down to its shape. As mentioned earlier, the gates open up onto another room, so you get the feeling that whatever you need — food or rest after a long journey — can be found here.

These types of spaces play an important part in creating a sense of unity and calm in the midst of life. They help remind us that we are not totally separate from each other and the world around us.

The Egyptian pyramids

In what would come to be known as the ancient pyramid style, three main components emerged. These are the step pyramid, smooth-sided pyramid, and cone or kheel shaped pyramid.

The first type is referred to as a step pyramid because it contains a staircase that leads up to an apex (or top) pyramid. This was not only used for religious structures but also for political reasons since rulers wanted to be seen as ascending towards heaven’s throne.

Smooth-sided pyramids were next, which have a shape similar to a ball. They too had a summit, but it was more like a square than a circle. Lastly, we have cones or keels, which are tall and thin with a narrower bottom. Similar to a cylinder, this one has you climbing up its length instead of its diameter.

These types of pyramids were most likely inspired by the tombs of pharaohs. Since these new styles were built after his death, there is some speculation that the architect may have been influenced by those designs.