Hypostyle

Says itself of a closed space whose Plafond is supported by columns. The hypostyle term room comes us from the Greek " hupostulos" : “supported by columns” but also applies in other civilizations.

One finds an example of room hypostyle in the Temple of Eleusis near Athens.

Ancient Egypt

The most famous examples are in the Egyptian temples Nouvel Empire with the Time Ptolémaïque and constitute the Pronaos then or left the temple which precedes the sanctuary with properly spoken in these precise cases. Their number varies according to the extent of the building without their size nor their style being really uniform.

Most known is the Hypostyle Grande of the Enceinte of Amon-Re to Karnak and is conceived on a basilical plan with a central alley supported by high columns with opened capitals papyriforme, because this space receives the sunlight by Claustra, and of the sides with closed capitals because perpetually remained in the shade.

This basilical plan is an innovation of, translating in architecture the symbolic system of creation. Thus the room represented the paramount marsh, Noun, whose emerges a forest of papyrus or lotuses stylized by the columns which are thus in a vegetative state in the parts obscure of the room and opened out in the bathed central alley of the divine light. A great programme of enlarging of the sanctuaries of Egypt was undertaken by Ramsès. One will quote for this period ostentation for monumental architecture in addition to the hypostyle room of Karnak the following examples:

• the hypostyle room of the Ramesséum
• the hypostyle room of the temple of Khonsou to Karnak
• the hypostyle room of Médinet Habou
• the hypostyle room of the temple of Thot to Hermopolis
• the hypostyle Room of the temple of Ptah to Memphis
• the hypostyle room of the temple of Bastet to Bubastis

If the basilical plan is abandoned, from the Low Time this architectural element will become systematic in the architectural program of the temples until becoming almost standardized in the buildings ptolémaïques and Roman. One will quote in particular the hypostyle rooms of the following temples:

• the temple of Hathor of Denderah
• the temple of Khnoum of Esna
• the temple of Horus of Edfou
• the temple of Sobek and Haroeris to Kom-Ombo

External bonds

• seen photographs and plans of the hypostyle room of the large Amon-Re temple of Karnak

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