The hundred columns Palace of Persepolis is the second palace in terms of area in Persepolis complex. Because there are 100 tall columns in this palace here is called hundred-column-palace. Of course, the entire Persepolis used to be called 100-column-palace in Sasanian age. In Treasury palace of Persepolis there are also 100 columns but the columns in this palace are so bigger and taller than Treasury palace.
When was the hundred columns palace built?
The building process for this palace started at behest of Xerxes the First and finished at Artaxerxes the First age. According to the evidence, archaeologists estimated that this palace had been completed between 480-470 BC. Other specifications are engraved at the threshold of entrance and this information has been get from this lithography by archeologists. As it appears all activities which were done, they registered that on the tablets and lithography by three languages ancient Persian, Babylonian and Elamite.
Art and Architecture
The columns are in 10 x 10 rows. The height of each column is 14 meters and there used to be a pair of head bull sculpture at top of each column. Nowadays two of them are existed and kept in a museum in Chicago. Lithographers created the picture of Xerxes the First at the entrance door of the palace. In different entrance of different sides of this section there used to be the lithography of Artaxerxes the First. The northern entrance is taller than the other ones and the lithography that I just talked about had been created above that.
Archaeologists have found such a lithography in treasury palace of Persepolis and there-door-palace with little difference. On two entrance of this palace the picture of hundred soldiers were engraved which is kind of symbol of the hundred columns palace of Persepolis. Researchers say that there is a point here, there is a numerical harmony between elements like 100 soldiers carved on the entrance and 100 columns built in this palace.
The area of this rectangular place is 4600 m2 and is greater than Apadana palace. The height of this palace is 2 meters. In general, this palace has eight entrance and exit doors.