30. Audience Hall (apadana) of Darius and Xerxes

 

Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes Persepolis, Iran. Persian. c. 520-465 B.C.E. Limestone It was the largest building of the complex, supported by numerous columns and lined on three sides with open porches. The palace had a grand hall in the shape of a square, each side 60m long with seventy-two columns, thirteen of which still stand on the enormous platform. Relief artwork, originally painted and sometimes gilded, covered the walls of the Apadana depicting warriors defending the palace complex.

Content: 72 columns  each 24 meters tall extremely intricate The column capitals were animals bulls, eagles, and lions; all symbols of royalty 2 monumental staircases The walls were carved with illustrations of hundreds of figures bringing offerings to the king from all the states conquered by the Persian Empire

Form: Carved primarily of Limestone The carvings on the walls were bas-relief Display the importance and authority of the King The column capitals were high-relief Only a few examples remain The hall was hypostyle architecture columns holding up the roof

Context: Built in Persepolis in the Persian Empire, modern day Iran 6th century BCE Built by Darius I The Persian empire was very tolerant for the era  represented in the bas-relief carvings displaying all the ethnic groups the Persians conquered Was later conquered by Alexander the Great Even he was impressed by the Persian empire and culture as he respectfully buried the last Persian Emperor (Darius III)

Function: Represent the expansive nature of the Persian Empire and Emperor's power Ceremonial Hall Served as the center of the Persian Empire's capital

Cross-Cultural Comparison: Ceremonial Spaces 

Forum of Trajan 

Forbidden City 

Great Zinbabwe