Karnak Temple

Where is the Karnak Temple?

The largest temple in the entire globe and the largest place of worship ever constructed is the Karnak Temple. It is situated in Luxor’s “Thebes” city. In the middle kingdom, the Karnak temple, also known as Pr-Imn or “House of Amon,” also known as the temple of Amun, was known as Ipet-isu or “The Most Select of Places.” It was constructed over a 2000-year period and dated from 2055 BC to about 100 AD.

What is the Temple consists of

A collection of temples make up the Karnak complex, the greatest of which is the central Amun-Ra temple, which spans 61 acres. His wife, the goddess Mut, may be seen to the south of the central area. In addition, there are still additional temples, such as the Khonso, Ptah, Ipt, Osiris, and Month temples. The Ptolemaic Dynasty, the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, and the Old Kingdom all left their architectural marks on the Karnak Temple over the ages. It was not just for the gods; it was also for the Egyptian pharaohs who wanted to be remembered.

First Pylon:

The first pylon is reached along an avenue of Sphinxes with ram-headed heads. Built to guard the temple, the ram head with 20 rams on either side represents the god Amun. The first Pylon, the final structure at Karnak, serves as the temple’s main entrance.

Great Court:

The Great Court is 100 meters long and 80 meters broad. It has ten papyrus columns, each of which is 21 meters tall. Currently, just one of Taharqa’s columns, the fourth monarch of the 25 Dynasty, is still standing. It is known as a kiosk. The statue of Ramesses II depicts the monarch standing and donning the dual scepter of upper and Lower Egypt, with his wife and princes at his feet.

The Great Hypostyle Hall:

The Great Hypostyle Hall is Karnak’s most spectacular structure. It measures 103 meters in length and 52 meters in width and is made up of 134 enormous stone columns, 12 of which are 22.40 meters tall and 3.5 meters in diameter. The remaining 122 columns are all 14.75 meters tall. King Seti, who ruled from 1290 to 1279 B.C., erected it. The battle of Seti is depicted on the northern wing’s exterior walls. The peace agreement between Ramesses II and the Hittites is engraved on the south wall.

Sacred Lake:

The largest of its sort is the Sacred Lake in the 120 by 77-meter Karnak Temple. It was excavated by King Tuthmosis III (1473–1458 B.C.), and priests utilized it for ceremonial cleansing and other purposes, such as navigation. It also served as the sanctuary for Amun’s sacred geese. It has stone walls surrounding it and stairs leading down to the river. Around the lake, we may find priests’ residences and storerooms.