y mountain on which
the platform abuts towards the east, is the vast edifice which has been
called with good reason the "Hall of a Hundred Columns," since its
roof was in all probability supported by that number of pillars. This
building consisted of a single magnificent chamber, with a portico, and
probably guard-rooms, in front, of dimensions quite unequalled upon
the platform. The portico was 183 feet long by 52 feet deep, and was
sustained by sixteen pillars, about 33 feet high, arranged in two rows
of eight. The great chamber behind was a square of 227 feet, and had
therefore an area of about 51,000 feet. Over this vast space were
distributed, at equal distances from one another, one hundred columns,
each 35 feet high, arranged in ten rows of ten each, every pillar thus
standing at a distance of nearly 20 feet from any other. The four walls
which enclosed this great hall had a uniform thickness of 10 1/2 feet,
and were each pierced at equal intervals by two doorways, the doorways
being thus exactly opposite to one another, and each looking down an
avenue of columns. In the spaces of wall on either side of the doorways,
eastward, westward, and southward, were three niches, all square-topped,
and bearing the ornamentation which is universal in the case of all
niches, windows, and doorways in the Persepolitan ruins. [PLATE XLVII.,
Fig. 2.] In the northern, or front, wall, the niches were replaced by
windows looking upon the portico, excepting towards the angles of the
building, where niches were retained, owing to a peculiarity in the
plan of the edifice which has now to be noticed. The portico, instead
of being, as in every other Persian instance, of the same width with the
building which it fronted, was 44 feet narrower, its antce projecting
from the front wall, not at either extremity, but at the distance of 11
feet from the corner. While the porch was thus contracted, so that the
pillars had to be eight in each row instead of ten, space was left on
either side for a narrow guard-room opening on to the porch, indications
of which are seen in the doorways placed at right angles to the front
wall, which are ornamented with the usual figures of soldiers armed
with spear and shield. It has been suggested that the hall was, like the
smaller pillared chambers upon the platform, originally surrounded on
three sides by a number of lesser apartments; and this is certainly
possible: but no trace remains of any such buildings.