Meander (architecture)

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For other uses, see Meander (disambiguation).

In art and architecture, a meander is a decorative border constructed from a continuous line, shaped into a repeated motif. Such a design is also called the Greek fret design. The name "meander" recalls the twisting and turning path of the Maeander River.

Meanders are common decorative elements in Greek art and Roman art. The design is common in present-day architecture as a neoclassical element.

The word meander is of Greek origin and has also a special meaning in Greece: most ancient Greek temples incorporate the sign of the meander. Even the shield of Philip, the second king of Macedonia, was decorated with multiple symbols of the meander (The shield can be found in the Macedonian museum of Vergina in Greece). The symbol of the meander is considered to be a Greek trademark and is commonly used as a symbol of Greek nationalism because it represents a link to an ancient past.

[edit] Examples of meander shapes

╔════╗ ╔════╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔════╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔════╗ ╔════╗   ║ ╚══╗ ║ ╚══╗ ║╚══╗║╚══╗║╚═╗║╚═╗║╚═╗║╚═╗║╚═╗╔═╝║╔═╝║╔═╝║╔═╝║╔═╝║╔══╝║╔══╝║ ╔══╝ ║ ╔══╝ ║ ╚════╝ ╚════╝ ╚═══╝╚═══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝ ╚════╝ ╚════╝

╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗╔═╗╔═╗╔═╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔╗╔═╗╔═╗╔═╗╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╔═╗ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝ ╚═╝

═╗ ╔════╗ ╔═══╗ ╔═══╗ ╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗╔══╗ ╔═══╗ ╔═══╗ ╔════╗ ╔═ ╔═╝ ╚═╗ ╔╝ ╚╗ ╔╝ ╚╗ ╔╝ ╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝╚╗╔╝ ╚╗ ╔╝ ╚╗ ╔╝ ╚╗ ╔═╝ ╚═╗ ╚═════╝ ╚═══╝ ╚═══╝ ╚═══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚══╝╚═══╝ ╚═══╝ ╚═══╝ ╚═════╝

╔═══════════╗╔════════╗╔══════╗╔══════╗╔═════════╗╔══════╗╔══════╗╔════════╗╔═══════════╗ ║ ╔══╗ ╔══╗ ║║ ╔══╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗╔══╗ ║║ ╔══╗ ╔══╗ ║ ╚═╬═╗║ ║  ║ ║╚═╬═╗║║ ║║╚╬╗║║ ║║╚╬╗║║ ║║╚╬╗║║ ║║╔╬╝║║ ║║╔╬╝║║ ║║╔╬╝║║ ║║╔═╬═╝║ ║  ║ ║╔═╬═╝ ══╝ ║║ ╚══╝ ╚══╝ ║║╚═╝╚═╝║║╚═╝╚═╝║║╚═╝╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝╚═╝║║╚═╝╚═╝║║╚═╝╚═╝║║ ╚══╝ ╚══╝ ║║ ╚══ ════╝╚═══════════╝╚══════╝╚══════╝╚══════╝╚═══╝╚══════╝╚══════╝╚══════╝╚═══════════╝╚════

═╗ ╔═══════╗╔════╗╔════╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔══════╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔═══╗╔════╗╔════╗╔═══════╗ ╔═ ║ ║ ╔═══╗ ║║╔══╗║║ ╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗║║╔═╗ ║║╔══╗║║ ╔═══╗ ║ ║ ║ ║ ╚═╗ ║ ║║╚╗ ║║║ ╚╗║║║╚╗║║║╚╗║║║╚╗║║║╚╗║║╔╝║║║╔╝║║║╔╝║║║╔╝║║║╔╝ ║║║ ╔╝║║ ║ ╔═╝ ║ ║ ║ ╚═══╝ ║ ║╚═╝ ║║╚══╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚═╝║║╚══╝║║ ╚═╝║ ║ ╚═══╝ ║ ╚═══════╝ ╚════╝╚════╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚═══╝╚════╝╚════╝ ╚═══════╝

╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗ ╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗    ╔╗ ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗╚╝╔╝╚╗╚╝╔╝╚╗╚╝╔╝╚╗╚╝╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗  ╔╝╚╗   ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝╔╗╚╗╔╝╔╗╚╗╔╝╔╗╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝  ╚╗╔╝     ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝ ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝    ╚╝

[edit] External links

• Illustrated Architecture Dictionary: Fret (a short description, with a list of links to photographs of meander designs in art and architecture)