A Visit to Karnak

Aside from the pyramids at Giza, Karnak is viewed at the next largest and most important pharaonic complex in Egypt. Constructed over a period of 1300 years by successive pharoahs, Karnak is an impressive structure even though much of it today lies in ruins. The temple complex lies just north of Luxor town and was easily reached walking along the Nile approximately a mile and a half in direct line with the Luxor Temple (the two temples were also historically linked).

The First Pylon or entrance to Karnak

Approaching Karnak just in front of the First Pylon is the Avenue of Sphinxes each featuring a ram's head.

Avenue of the Sphinx

Most impressive was the Great Hypostyle Hall displaying a forest of columns in an area covering 6000 square meters. It is large enough to contain both St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London.

The central avenue of columns

Twelve to fourteen columns mark the center pathway through the hall. To both the east and west, smaller but no less impressive, are some 122 columns roofed over by painted lentiles.

Nancy dwarfed by the columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall

Painted ceiling lentile between columns

One could spend hours strolling amid the temple ruins. Limiting ourselves to the main sections of the temple, we filled up an entire afternoon. Aside from the hall of columns, hieroglyphic walls and quartz obelisks rise into the sky telling the stories of the ancient pharoahs.

Image of Queen Hatshepsut

Spectacular example of columned temple room with ceiling intact

Tomorrow: Islamic architecture