Säulen

Säulen are vertical architectural elements designed to bear loads and define spaces. Typically a column comprises a shaft, a capital, a base, and often a sequence of drum segments joined together; in some contexts freestanding columns stand independent and support entablatures, while others are integrated into walls as pilasters. The term Säule derives from Latin columna via Old High German.

In classical architecture, columns are organized into orders, each with characteristic proportions and decorative details. The main ancient orders are Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, with later variations such as the Tuscan and Composite. Doric columns are sturdy with a plain capital; Ionic columns have volutes; Corinthian capitals are ornate with acanthus leaves. Columns may be fluted or smooth, and the base varies by order.

Construction methods have included stone drums assembled and held by dowels, often with entasis—the deliberate slight bulge along the shaft to correct optical perception. Materials range from carved stone in antiquity to brick and reinforced concrete in later periods, and in modern architecture steel or reinforced concrete columns may carry loads with secondary framing.

Historically, columns appeared in ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern architecture and were refined by the Greeks and Romans. The Renaissance and Neoclassical movements revived classical orders, while contemporary architecture uses columns for both load-bearing and aesthetic, frequently combining traditional form with modern materials and engineering.

Säulen remain a central element in temples, public buildings, churches, and modern structures, serving structural, spatial, and decorative functions.