- Karnak, also known as the Temple of Amun, was a Temple city complex based around the Temple of Amun near Luxor in Egypt. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes the nearby Necropolises.
- It was commenced in 1,530 BCE and its Ruins are located 1.6 miles (2.5km) north of the city of Luxor which used to be called Thebes.
Monuments
- Temple of Amun
- The Site contains three Temple Precinct areas, dedicated respectively to Amun-Re, his wife Mut and their son Montu (or Khonsu). The fourth Temple, dedicated to Amenhotep IV, was dismantled soon after he had died.
- The Great Hypostyle Hall
- This has 134 columns arranged in 16 rows.
- The majority of the columns are 33 ft (10m) high, with some reaching 69 ft (21m) in height.
- On top of the columns the Egyptian builders managed to place Architraves that weigh up to 70 tons. It is not known how these columns and architraves were erected.
Nearby Sites
- Valley of the Kings
- Necropolis of the Pharaohs.
- Valley of the Queens
- Necropolis of the Pharoahs’ wives.
Museums
- Karnak Open Air Museum
- Located in the northwestern corner of the Precinct of Amon-Re in the Karnak complex.
- It holds reconstructions of various shrines and chapels:
- Chappelle Rouge of Hatshepsut
- White Chapel of Senuset I
- Calcite Shrine of Amenhotep II
- Barque shrine of Tuthmosis III
- Chapel of Amenhotep I
- Barque chapel of Thutmosos IV
Films
- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
- The Temple of Amun features in a scene in this James Bond Film with Roger Moore and Barbara Bach.
Temple of Karnak, Luxor, Egypt