gymnasia (ancient buildings)
- Scope note
- Ancient buildings, or later buildings designed in the ancient style, where male competitors for games were trained, and where men engaged in social and intellectual pursuits. Gymnasia were generally located in the suburbs and tended to have a standard plan: they were large structures divided into spaces for various types of athletics, also having an open stadium, baths, palaestra, outer porticos used for athletic practice in inclement weather, and covered porticos where learned men gave public lectures and disputations. For more modern buildings inspired by ancient gymnasia and used for athletics, prefer "gymnasiums (physical education buildings)"; for more modern buildings used for preparing educational pursuits, use "gymnasiums (prep school buildings)."
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024