Karnak Temple Complex
Karnak Temple Complex, Religious complex in Luxor, Egypt
Description
Karnak Temple Complex is an archaeological site in Luxor, Egypt, covering more than 200 acres and featuring several temple precincts, monumental gateways, freestanding stone pillars, and ceremonial buildings along the Nile. The central precinct of Amun-Re forms the main section of the site, with enormous column halls, pharaoh statues, and wall reliefs showing gods, rulers, and religious scenes.
History
Pharaoh Senusret I began building the complex around 2000 BCE during the Middle Kingdom. Thirty successive rulers added new structures, columns, and shrines over more than fifteen centuries.
Culture
The name Karnak comes from the Arabic word for fortified village, referring to a medieval settlement that later arose here. Visitors today see priest living quarters and sacred lakes where ritual washing took place before ceremonies.
Practical
The Precinct of Amun-Re opens daily and offers shaded areas under the column halls and a marked walking route through the main structures. The grounds are mostly flat, but distances between structures can be tiring in heat, so an early morning visit is advisable.
Did you know?
The Great Hypostyle Hall contains 134 columns, with twelve in the central aisle rising about 80 feet (24 meters) tall, forming the largest religious hall in the world. Each of these central columns measures about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) in diameter and can hold more than fifty people standing on top of its capital.
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This collection encompasses ancient stone monuments and sacred sites from across the globe, ranging from the Easter Island Moai to the Great Wall of China. The structures represent millennia of human engineering and include religious temples, fortifications, burial sites, and astronomical...
Ancient temples around the world reveal the building skill and cultural values of past civilizations. From Cambodia to Mexico, these structures show us how ancient peoples practiced religion, built with available materials, and organized their societies. Sites across Asia, Europe and America display...
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