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Hypostyle hall
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hypostyle hall; Temple of Luxor Interior view of the hypostyle hall in the small temple at Abu Simbel, Egypt, showing columns and walls carved with ancient Egyptian mural reliefs and hieroglyphs. Capitals and lintels of the massive hypostyle hall, Great Temple of Amon at Karnak in Thebes, Egypt. Great Temple of Amon
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Ramses II
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hypostyle hall; Temple of Luxor
hypostyle hall; Temple of Luxor Hypostyle hall, Temple of Luxor, Thebes, Egypt.

Hypostyle hall

architecture
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ā€¢History

Hypostyle hall, in architecture, interior space whose roof rests on pillars or columns. The word means literally ā€œunder pillars,ā€ and the design allows for the construction of large spacesā€”as in temples, palaces, or public buildingsā€”without the need for arches. It was used extensively in ancient Egyptā€”where the Temple of Amon at Karnak provides a good exampleā€”and in Persiaā€”where the ruins at Persepolis give evidence of outstanding examples of hypostyle construction.

Although the multiple, usually large, pillars naturally consumed much of the floor space of such halls, this drawback was turned to advantage when the columns were carved with heroic or religious motifs. The design has rarely been used in more recent architecture because of more effective means of roof support.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.