Karnak And The Ancient Egyptian Temples

When you think about Pharonic ruins, the Pyramids of Giza are probably one of the first destinations that spring to mind, and despite the grandure of these mystical pyramids what remains at Karnak is far more amazing.

Throughout the Middle and New Kingdom eras Egypt remained the focus of the world and Karnac was its powerbase. It was the home of the gods, the seat of the pharaoh and the ultimate headquarters of the priestly ruling caste.

In fact the significance of Karnac was so huge that it was expanded and updated by the pharoahs for over 1300 years making them immense not only in terms of size but with countless courts, halls and temples the site is quite possibly one of the most interesting archaeological sites you’re going to find anywhere in Egypt.

With signs and marks left over from every ancient pharaoh, Karnac should be on the top of your list if you’re at all interested in Egyptian history. So if you’re not already excited about Karnac then here’s a low down of the top 10 things to check out during your visit.

1. Avenue of Sphinxes

The site is approached via a short avenue of impressive sphinxes that originally connected the entrance pylon with a dock fed by a canal from the Nile. On the south side of Karnak is another partial sphinx avenue, which once connected with Luxor Temple.

2. Precinct of Amun

The Karnak complex has three main compounds. The grandest precinct, dedicated to Amun, lies at the centre, dominated by the huge Temple of Amun. It contains a Sacred Lake and a series of pylons arranged perpendicular to the main temple. The pylons lead to the adjacent Precinct of Mut, which is actually closed to visitors.

3. Temple of Amun

At the heart of Karnak is the Temple of Amun, spanning thirteen centuries! The scale is vast, consisting of a succession of pylons, courts, colonnades and chambers arranged along a central axis.

4. Open Air Museum

Situated within the Precinct of Amun, the museum contains a fine collection of statuary and monuments discovered during an excavation of the third pylon of the Temple of Amun. A separate ticket is required for the museum, but it’s worth checking out, especially for lovers of history.

5. Temple of Khonsu

This small temple in the Precinct of Amun, dedicated to the son of Amun, was mostly built by Ramses II and IV. Next to it is a smaller temple dedicated to ‘Opet’, the hippopotamus goddess.

6. Sacred Lake

Priests purified themselves in the holy water of the Sacred Lake before performing rituals in the temple. Nearby is a giant stone scarab of ‘Khepri’, god of the dawning sun.

7. Seventh and Eighth Pylons

A succession of courts and pylons runs south from the Cachette Court. The first of these, the Seventh Pylon, is ascribed to Tuthmosis III, and two partial colossi of him sit in the courtyard beyond. The well-preserved Eighth Pylon was probably constructed during the reign of Hatshepsut – again no less impressive than the others.

8. Cachette Court

The Cachette Court gets its name from the discovery of a hoard of some 900 stone statues here, the finest of which are now in the Luxor and Cairo museums.

9. Precinct of Montu

The warrior god ‘Montu’ was the god of Karnak. His precinct, north of that of
Amun, contains the temples to both Montu and Amun. Like the precint of Mut, both temples are currently closed to the public.

10. The Sound and Light Show

A dramatized history of Karnak is related three times nightly with an accompanying light show. It is viewed from a grandstand beside the Sacred Lake, a great way to spend part of an evening.

Final Tips

When checking out Karnak just remember that only part of the vast site will be accessible in fact excavations are still ongoing today, so it really is a case of history being uncovered in front of your eyes. Oh and there isn’t much shade in the place so be sure to wear a hat and carry a bottle of water as you’ll be exposed to a lot of Sun. Allow at least half a day to explore this place, if not longer depending on your interest in Egyptian history, and remember – there’s a café by the Sacred Lake selling tea, soft drinks and snacks so you can always fuel up with refreshments if you need to!,