Karnak Temple In Luxor

The Karnak Temple in Luxor, Upper Egypt, is the largest religious complex ever built, a vast city of temples dedicated to the Theban gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, constructed over two millennia

Where is Karnak Temple Located?

The Karnak Temple complex is located in modern-day Luxor, ancient Thebes, in Upper Egypt. It sits on the east bank of the Nile River, in the village of El-Karnak, about 2.5 kilometers north of central Luxor.

When Was Karnak Temple Built?

Karnak's grand temple construction began during the reign of Senusret I around 1971 BCE, and took fifteen hundred years to complete, with as many as thirty successive pharaohs adding to it. This complex could reasonably be called a city of temples, Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. The largest temple complex ever built by man, it represents the combined achievement of generations of ancient builders and covers a truly massive area. Approximately 3 km (1.75 miles) north of the modern city of Luxor, Karnak requires half a day just to walk around its many precincts and years to come to know it well

Karnak Temple Facts

The Karnak Temple Complex consists of a number of temples, chapels, and other buildings in the form of a village, and is for that reason that the name Karnak was given to this complex as in Arabic Karnak means ‘fortified village’.

Karnak Temple Visiting

Why Visit Karnak Temple?

The Karnak Temples are a testament to the ancient Egyptian civilization. Located in the heart of Luxor, the Karnak Temples were built over a period of nearly 2,000 years and are one of the largest and most magnificent temple complexes ever built. They are dedicated primarily to the divine trinity of the god Amun, his wife the god Mut, and their son Khonsu. The Karnak Temples are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The vast grounds of Karnak reveal layers of history in which successive generations of great pharaohs participated. Every inscription and every hieroglyphic letter tells a story of great history and artistic brilliance. The Karnak Temples are not just an architectural masterpiece, but rather an ancient historical extension.

Visiting The Karnak Temple Complex

Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. The largest temple complex ever built by man, it represents the combined achievement of generations of ancient builders and covers a truly massive area, Karnak Temples represented not only the seat of the great god Amun-Re but also contained or adjoined many chapels and temples dedicated to different deities. There are three main compounds.

Karnak Temple Architecture

-Almarsa:

It was used for docking ships coming to visit the temple, and it was also the place from which the Amun procession left with ships to celebrate the Opet Festival.

-The Way Of The Rams:

There is a road called The Way of the Rams. In front of it were two obelisks, only one of which remains. After that, there is the Way of the Rams, which starts from the Almarsa(dock )and ends at the second pylon, which consists of statues of rams symbolizing the god Amun placed on a base, and in front of it is a statue of Ramses II

- The Outer Wall Of Karnak Temples:

The wall consists of 8 entrances and was built in a sloping manner as a kind of reinforcement, but it is likely that it had a religious significance and that it indicates the eternal waters and the buildings inside this wall point to the eternal hill on which creation began , it was built by king Nectanebo I of the Late Period.

-The First Pylon:

The main Entrance of Karnak temples,which was built by King Nectanebo I of the Late Period.

-The First Courtyard:

The first courtyard is the celebration hall. It contained three chapels built by King Seti II, who built them from limestone for the sacred boats, Mut, and Khonsu to rest. There is also a temple for King Ramses III, A temple dedicated to King Ramses III, engraved with scenes of the king slaughtering enemies in the presence of the god Amun. We will discuss all of these elements in detail.

-Three Chapels For King Seti II:

Which were a rest house for the boat of god Amun, his wife Mut and his son Khonsu.

- Gosq Taharqa:

An Ethiopian king from the 25th dynasty who ruled Egypt and built this chapel for the boat to rest.

-The Temple For Ramses III:

Which consists of a courtyard and columns with statues of the king in the Osirian shape and of course we know what the Osirian shape is and after the courtyard you will find a room divided into three called the Holy of Holies for the god Amun, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu.

-Bubastian Hall:

Which was given this name. I will tell you that it was given this name because it was built by the kings of the 22nd dynasty who made Tell Basita their capital and that is why they were given this name, Bubastians.

-The Second Pylon:

And many kings participated in this pylon, the first of whom was built by King Horemheb, the one who completed it was King Ramses I, and the one who decorated it was King Ramses II, who placed in front of it a statue of himself in a standing position raping the king, whose name is Baynjm. This pylon was destroyed when Legran flooded the temple with water to dissolve the salts on the walls, and at that time they found inside the pylon stones that were part of the temples of Akhenaten that were destroyed, and of course we know the story of Akhenaten and his religious revolution.

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Karnak Temple At Luxor

-The Hypostyle Hall:

There are about 134 columns built by King Amenhotep III and King Seti I.

-The Third Pylon:

Built by King Amenhotep III. He used the remains of the white chapel of King Senusret I to fill the pylon.

-The Fourth Pylon:

Built by King Thutmose I. He erected two obelisks in front of it, one of which was transported outside Egypt. After the fourth pylon, we find a hall with columns and statues of King Thutmose I

-The Fifth Pylon:

It was also built by King Thutmose I

- The Two Obelisks:

Were built in front of the fifth pylon by Queen Hatshepsut,next there is the sixth paylon, it was built by King Thutmose III.

Inside The Temple Of Karnak Facts

-The Middle Kingdom Temple:

There are some stones from the remains of the middle kingdom Temple.

-The Temple Of The Aakh Meno:

It was built by King Thutmose III in the 25th year of his reign on the occasion of his celebration of SD Day. The temple includes a court of masters, the Holy of Holies, storerooms, and a room decorated with scenes of plants, animals, and birds that Thutmose III brought on his campaign from Asia. It has four columns and is located next to the Holy of Holies and is called the Plant garden. It contains a plaque containing A list of the names of the kings who were interested in Karnak is now preserved in the Louvre Museum.

What Is Found In The Karnak Temple Complex?

-The Cache Court:

The courtyard of the cache is located between the third and fourth pylons. 799 stone statues and 17,000 bronze statues were found there by the archaeologist George Legrand in 1903. During the 19th century, the priests were hiding these statues for fear of them being stolen or destroyed.

-Seventh Paylon:

It was built by King Tuthmosis III and decorated with military scenes. The pylon is preceded by seven statues, four of which are of Tuthmosis III. The pylon is preceded by a statue of Tuthmosis III from the south and a statue of Ramesses II. Next there is The eighth pylon , Which was built by Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III .

-The Ninth Pylon:

Built by Horemheb.

-The Temple Of Amenhotep II:

Located between the Ninth and Tenth Pylons.

-The Tenth Pylon :

Was built by Horemheb and Horemheb also established a path of rams between the tenth pylon heading south to the temple of the god Mut in Asher.

What Is Special About The Temple Of Karnak?

-The Sacred Lake:

Which Built by Thutmose III, It contained seeping water, which the ancient Egyptians believed to be eternal. Priests would bathe in it for purification.

The Scarab At Karnak Temples

-The Miracle Of The Scarab:

Believed to bring good luck, was performed by ancient Egyptians and foreigners alike, who would circle it seven times to bring good luck.Which was built by King Amenhotep III as a gift to his wife, Queen T, for their love to last. Next there is a temple decated to the god Khonsu , Which is in the form of a monkey, as there is a statue in the form of a monkey inside the temple.

Karnak Temple Luxor

-The Temple of IBT:

Which was built in the Ptolemaic era for the goddess IBT , who represented the hippopotamus.

Karnak Temple Egypt

-The Temple Of Ptah And Hathor:

It was built by Tuthmosis III in the middle of the northern part of the Karnak Temple, next to the gate of the northern outer wall.

-The Road Of Rams:

Extends from the pylon of the Temple of Khonsu and heads south and joins the road coming from the Temple of Mut and from the Tenth Pylon and heads to the Temple of Luxor. It was built by King Amenhotep III.

-The Temple Of Aten:

which was built by Akhenaten, east of the Temple of Amun. It consisted of courtyards open to the sky, but Horemheb demolished it and built monument in it.

-The Temple Of Mut in Asher:

It is located south of the wall of the Temple of Amun and is surrounded by the lake on three sides.

-The Temple Of God Montu:

The Temple of Montu, located inside the Karnak Temple, was built by King Amenhotep III, north of the outer wall of the Temple of Amun at Karnak.

-The Temple Of Aten:

The Temple of Aten at Karnak was built by King Akhenaten next to the Temple of Amun, but it was demolished by King Horemheb after suppressing the religious revolution that King Akhenaten had launched to celebrate the victory of the god Aten. However, the religious revolution failed, and the kings who followed King Akhenaten demolished all the temples of the god Aten.

What Things To Do In Karnak Temples

Karnak Temples are an amazing archeological site and one that shouldn't be missed. It's vast and hot so take lots of water and head wear or an umbrella for shade, just be aware of others if you use an umbrella!
Checkout the tallest obelisk in Egypt in the temple of Amun, get luck by circling the large Kheper scarab, view some of the 900 statues discovered in 1903 and absorb the grandeur of the Great Hypostyle Hall with all the columns ornately decorated with colourful heiroglyphics. So much to see and take in, it's a big site so take your time and your camera!
Have fun with the shaft of light in one of the dark rooms off the main temple.