Karnak Complex at Luxor

Karnak Complex is considered one of the greatest temples at the east bank of Luxor city in Upper Egypt. This complex consists of many temples. Karnak word means in the Arabic word the fortified village.

Karnak Complex dates back to about 2055 BC and was dedicated to the triad of Thebes (Amun, Mut, and Khonsu).

Karnak Complex begins with the avenue of rams, where there are 20 rams on each side leading to a small harbor leading to the first pylon.

The first pylon was built by King Nichtanebo I of the 30th dynasty.

Then you will see the open courtyard. This courtyard includes a group of papyrus columns. The most famous one is the Column of King Taharqa who ruled during the 25th dynasty. Its height is 21 m. This is the only remaining column of a colonnade that contained 10 columns.

On the left of the courtyard, there are 3 shrines built by King Seti II for the Thebes Triad. On the right, there is the Temple of Ramses III. It consists of a small pylon, an open courtyard, and the Hypostyle hall leading to the Holy of Holies.

Then there is the second pylon of Karnak Complex built by King Horemheb, which leads to the great court.

This courtyard was built by King Amenhotep III and decorated by Ramses I, Seti I, and Ramses II. This courtyard houses122 columns in 14 rows constructed by king Seti I.

This open courtyard leads to the 3rd pylon built by King Amenhotep III, which leads to the courtyard of Tuthmosis I, who added two obelisks in that place.

On the left of this courtyard, there is the courtyard of the hideout, where a valuable collection of hidden statues was found by the French scientist Legrain (1917-1865).

Then we find the 4th pylon built by Tuthmosis I. Besides it, you will see the two obelisks of Queen Hatshepsut. The left obelisk is still in its location. It is made of red granite weighing 322 tons and a height of 29.5 meters. After the death of Hatshepsut, King Thutmose III built a high wall around these two obelisks.

Then the 5th pylon, which was built by Thutmose I, but was damaged

Then the 6th pylon was built by Thutmose III. It leads to the ancestral room built by Thutmose III. Then the Holy of Holies, which was rebuilt by Philip Aridaeus, and has a granite base for the holy boat of the god Amun.

Behind the Holy of Holies, there is the courtyard of the Middle Kingdom. At the end of this courtyard, there is the temple of Akh- Mnw and the plant room, which is decorated with scenes of plants, animals, and birds brought from Syria to Egypt by King Thutmose III.

Crossing the 7th pylon, there are statues of Tuthmosis III and Ramses II.

Then the 8th pylon. It was built by Queen Hatshepsut and decorated by Tuthmosis III, and restored by Seti I.

Then the 9th pylon was built by Horemheb. Inside this pylon, it is founded a large number of bricks used for filling for the pylon. These stones were brought from the temple of the god Aten, which was built by King Akhenaten.

Finally, the 10th pylon, which was built by Horemheb and is currently destroyed.

Karnak complex houses the sacred lake from the reign of Thutmose III, and its length is 80 meters and its width is 40 meters.