hypostyle

A hypostyle is an interior space whose roof is supported by a large number of columns arranged in rows. The term comes from the Greek hypo meaning under and stulos meaning column.

Typically, a hypostyle hall is a large, rectangular chamber in which the roof is carried by many columns, creating a forest-like interior. Columns may support lintels or arches, and the roof is usually built with timber beams, sometimes supplemented by a clerestory to bring light into the space. This arrangement contrasts with a peristyle, which is an exterior courtyard surrounded by a colonnade rather than an interior hall.

Historically, hypostyle halls are especially associated with ancient Egyptian temple architecture, where multi-row colonnades defined expansive ceremonial interiors. The Great Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Amun in Karnak is a prominent example from the New Kingdom, notable for its dense forest of columns and richly decorated capitals. The concept and its structural logic later appeared in other cultures, including Islamic architecture, where large prayer halls in mosques use long galleries of columns to support broad roofs.

Notable examples include the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, with columns arranged in a grid and often elaborately adorned with lotus or papyrus capitals. Another well-known instance is the hypostyle prayer hall of the Mezquita-Calif of Córdoba, a later adaptation that employs numerous columns and arches to span a vast interior.

In architectural history, the hypostyle form demonstrates how interior space and ceremonial function can be achieved through networks of columns, influencing the design of large enclosed interiors across different periods and styles.