Temple of Apollo in Delphi

The Temple of Apollo, built as a tribute to Phoebus Apollo,² has gone through a couple of incarnations. The first temple was built in the 7^th Century B.C. by distinguished architects Trophonios and Agamedes.¹ After a fire destroyed the first temple, it was rebuilt in the 6^th Century B.C. and named the “Temple of Alcmeonidae” in tribute to the noble Athenian family that funded its construction.¹ This second temple was built in a Doric hexastyle and had 6 columns at the front and 15 columns at the flanks.² This temple was destroyed by an earthquake in 337 B.C. and rebuilt, for the final time, in 330 B.C.¹ The 4^th Century B.C temple was built by architects Spintharos, Xenodoros, and Agathon,¹and is the remaining ruins we see today. The temple was built similarly to the Alcmeonidae version of the temple, with a peristasis of 6 columns on the short edge and 15 columns on the long edges.¹ Although the temple itself was not used as a treasury, the path leading to the entrance of the temple had numerous treasuries.²The treasuries were built by Greek cities and housed many offerings made to Apollo.²The Temple of Apollo also showcases three maxims, which are believed to popular proverbs. This temple, whose purpose was primarily to serve as an appraisal to Apollo, is also another classic temple that influenced the impenetrable aspects of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum

The Temple of Saturn, located in the northwest corner of the Roman Forum of Rome, is a 4^th Century AD temple dedicated to the God Saturn. Saturn is a mysterious figure in Roman Religion, depicted wearing a veil and bearing either a sickle or pruning knife, a possible version of the Greek god Kronos.³ Even so, he was worshiped in the Saturnalia festival every 17^th of December. While the Temple of Saturn was a focal point to this ancient cult the temple also served as a public treasury (aerarium), even during the Imperial Period. ^[3][4] The temple stood in the previous location of a temple dedicated to Ara Saturni in 497 BC,³ and built in 43 BC by L Munatius Plancus in the Early Republic, making it the oldest temple on record.⁴ The temple was made of pepperino tufa and travertine, and stands 22.5 meters wide and 40 meters long on top of a high podium.³ Today, only the northern facade of the temple remains³ which consists of 8 columns of the Ionic order with shafts made of Egyptian granite and Capitals made of Thasian marble carved in Late Antique Style.³ While the Temple of Saturn served as a public treasury, it was not a banking institution with a credit system. Even so, the impenetrable aspects of the temple are in dialogue with the Corinthian colonnade of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, making it the first temple to influence the power and stability of banks constructed in the following centuries.

Bank of England

The Bank of England is the second oldest central bank in the world and the world’s 8^th oldest bank, and responsible for issuing banknotes and regulating monetary policy in the United Kingdom.⁵ The bank has been located in London’s main financial district, the City of London, on Threadneedle Street, since 1734 and has been designed by multiple architects.⁵ George Sampson, 1733 to 1764, designed the original building; Sir Robert Tayler, 1764 to 1788, added buildings outside the main complex, a garden court, introduced top lighting, expanded the facade eastward and westward, and created a Roman rotunda that was similar to a mini Pantheon; Sir John Soane, 1788 to 1833, dedicated 45 years of his life to the bank which allowed him to double the size of the bank to 3.5 acres and added a windowless wall that still stand today; Professor C. R. Cockerell, 1833 to 1855, reconstructed the Bank’s Dividend, Warrant and Checks office, Accountant’s Drawing Office, and the attic story as a fortified parapet walk; P. C. Hardwick, 1855 to 1883, designed offices for the bank; Sir Arthur Blomfield, 1883 to 1899, designed the former Law Courts Branch of the bank; A. C. Blomfield, 1899 to 1919, carried out work on the Bank of England’s buildings; Sir Herbert Baker, 1925 to 1939, demolished Sir Soane’s bank, leaving the windowless wall intact, to build seven stories above ground and 3 stories underground to accommodate for the Bank’s increasing amount of work and responsibilities.⁶ Sir Soane’s bank stood untouched for decades because of its fascinating architecture, that was built in a neoclassical architectural style. Architects worldwide revere his use of natural light and mesmerizing effects of size.⁷ His windowless wall, which displays a facade with classical columns, resonate with classical temples. The size of the Bank of England and its structure is yet another example of classical receptions made by neoclassical architects.

First Bank of the United States

The First Bank of the United States was just that, the first bank created to assume responsibility for war debt, establish a national mint, and impose federal excise taxes. ^[8][9] It was commissioned by the United States Congress, upon Alexander Hamilton’s suggestion, and designed by architects Samuel Blodgett and James Hoban in 1795 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ^[8][9][10] It cost $110,168.05 to build and is the oldest United States building displaying a classical facade⁹ – marking the start of classical receptions embodied by banks in the United States. Built in a neo-classical architectural style that resonates with the power and stability of classical temples,⁹ the bank’s 6 Corinthian pillars denote this best. The First Bank of the United States was chartered in 1791 and ceased operations as a national institution in 1986. ^[8][9][10] Restored only once for the bicentennial in 1976,⁹ the building is now part of the Independence National Historic Park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark.⁸ As the First Bank of the United States, this building set a precedent for classical receptions among banks. Making Samuel Blodgett and James Hoban the first architects to initiate a dialogue between Banks in the United States and classical temples. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, like many other banks before it, follows in the footsteps of this building.

Bank of California

The Bank of California, located in San Francisco, California, is the oldest incorporated commercial bank of the United States, its creation dating back to 1864.¹¹The bank was instrumental in helping develop the American Old West,¹²because it helped finance the Southern Pacific Railroad, steamship lines, and the Comstock Mines in Nevada.¹¹ Designed by Walter Bliss and William Faville in a neoclassical architectural style, the building is practically a three-story classical temple. Each side of the bank is enclosed by a colossal colonnade, six Corinthian columns per side.¹¹ While most banks have only portions that are in dialogue with classical temples, the Bank of California imitates a classical temple – from the building to its functions.

Bank of Japan

Located in Nihonbashi, Chūō, Tokyo, the Bank of Japan is the central bank of Japan and is often referred to as Nichigin for short.¹³ It was designed by the Japanese architect Tatsuno Kingo in 1986, after the Meji Restoration.¹³ The Bank of Japan is responsible for the issuance and management of banknotes, implementation of monetary policy, providing settlement services, treasury and government security, international activities, and compilation of date for economic analyses and research activities.¹³ According to the Bank of Japan’s official website, most of their archived records were destroyed by fires that followed the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and during World War II.¹⁴ Although designed in a Neo-baroque architectural style, which differs from the neoclassical banks in the United States, the Bank of Japan still references classical temples. A single set of four Corinthian pillars stands on each short end of the building, while three sets of four Corinthian pillars is displayed along the long sides. These columns create the perception of power and stability, a recurring theme in banks with classical antiquities.

References

¹Sakoulas, Thomas. "Temple of Apollo at Delphi." Ancient-Greece. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <http://ancient-greece.org/architecture/delphi-temple-of-apollo.html>.

²"Delphi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delphi#Dedication_to_Apollo>.

³Cartwright, Mark. "Temple of Saturn, Rome." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 06 Dec. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <http://www.ancient.eu/article/636/>.

⁴"Saturnus, Aedes." Digital Roman Forum. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Forum/reconstructions/SaturnusAedes_1>.

⁵"Bank of England." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_England>.

⁶"The Bank's Buildings and Architects." Bank of England. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/Pages/history/buildings.aspx>.

⁷"Sir John Soane & Bank of England History." Projectsoane. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <http://www.projectsoane.com/story>.

⁸"First Bank of the United States." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Bank_of_the_United_States>.

⁹"Historic Philadelphia Tour: First Bank of the United States." Ushistory. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <http://www.ushistory.org/tour/first-bank.htm>.

¹⁰"Bank of the United States." History. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/bank-of-the-united-states>.

¹¹"San Francisco Landmark #3: Bank of California." Noehill in San Francisco. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <http://noehill.com/sf/landmarks/sf003.asp>.

¹²"Bank of California." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_California>.

¹³"Bank of Japan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Japan>.

¹⁴"Archives." 日本銀行 Bank of Japan. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2016. <http://www.boj.or.jp/en/about/outline/imes_archive/index.htm/>.