Columned Hall of the Saqqara Necropolis
The Colonnade of Saqqara, or Za` al-Asatiin (the Hall of Forty Columns), is not merely a passageway to the world`s oldest necropolis. The modern entrance that tourists see today is the result of restoration. However, upon passing through these gates, visitors enter a unique, semi-open colonnade built 4,700 years ago, which leads to the ritual plaza in front of the Pyramid of Djoser.
Architectural Masterpiece: The Genius of Imhotep in Detail
The creator of this ingenious architectural solution was Imhotep, the high official and chief architect of Pharaoh Djoser. The colonnade is part of his unified, grand plan for the funerary complex.
Concept and Dimensions: The hall is a long, narrow corridor (passage) approximately 54 meters long and 10 meters wide. It was adorned on both sides with 40 fluted columns, 20 on each side (hence its Arabic name).
Unique Construction: It was a semi-open structure. The columns did not support a heavy stone roof as in Greek or Roman temples. Instead, they were connected in pairs by short segments of stone walls, creating distinctive "windows" or openings. Above, scholars believe there may have been stone beam ceilings, but part of the space between them remained open to the sky. This created a play of light and shadow, incredible for such an early era.
Symbolism: The hall served as a ceremonial path (processional way). It led from the edge of the complex, symbolizing the world of the living, to its sacred center - еhe pyramid. Passing through the ranks of these columns, which perhaps symbolize eternity and support, the procession with the pharaoh`s body emerged into the open space for the final rites.
An Architectural Revolution: A Prototype for Millennia to Come
The most astonishing feature of the Colonnade is its capitals (the tops of the columns). They are shaped like bundles of papyrus or reed stems. This is not mere decoration but a profound architectural symbol.
From Reed to Stone: Imhotep, for the first time in history, translated into stone forms characteristic of the lightweight building materials of his era—wood, reeds, woven mats. The concave walls of the Heb-Sed Chapels imitate woven huts, and these columns imitate bundles of plants.
A Legacy Repeated a Thousand Times: This idea—creating a stone column in the form of a plant bundle—became an archetype for all subsequent Egyptian architecture. It can be seen in the temples of Luxor and Karnak, built 1,500 years later! The rows of giant papyrus-shaped columns in the Karnak Hypostyle Hall are direct descendants of this experimental hall at Saqqara.
What a Tourist Sees Today
An Impressive Entrance: The restored facade gives an idea of the entrance`s monumentality.
A Walk Through History: Tourists walk the ancient path between rows of columns. Many columns today are reconstructions, but some original shafts and bases are still in place. You can examine their characteristic fluted structure, imitating stems.
The Effect of Presence: After walking the entire length of the hall, the visitor is met with an opening, majestic panorama: directly on axis stands the Step Pyramid of Djoser, with the ruins of the entire ritual complex spread out on either side. This moment is the culmination of Imhotep`s vision.
The Colonnade at Saqqara is the first colonnade in the world, an architectural prototype that became a canon. Walking through it, you tread the same path as the funeral procession of Pharaoh Djoser. Pay attention to the shape of the columns and imagine that you will see their replicas later on the banks of the Nile in Luxor.
