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Ancient temples
The Karnak Temple
The Temple of
Karnak is the largest Temple in the World! The complex contains a
group of Temples such as the Great Temple of Amon Ra, The Temple of
Khonso, The Ipt Temple, The Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho and
the Temple of the God Osiris. A 20m high, mud brick enclosure wall,
surrounded all of these buildings.
This great Temple of Amon Ra was known during the Middle Kingdom
period as Ipt-Swt, which means the Selected Spot. It was also called
Pr-Imn, which means the House of Amon. The name Al-Karnak in Arabic
was derived from Karnak, which means fortified village, probably
because the Arabs found many Temples and buildings in the area when
they entered it for first time.
On your way towards the entrance you will find a ram-headed avenue
of Sphinxes, which was built to protect the Temple. There are 20
rams on each side, extending from the small harbour to the 1st
Pylon, which was built during the time of King Nektanebo I (30th
Dynasty). As you cross this pylon, it takes you into an Open court,
whose dimensions are100m long by 80m wide, built during the 22nd
Dynasty, and containing rows of bud papyrus columns.
In the middle of the 1st Open court, there is a huge column, which
is 21m high and has a bud papyrus capital. This part is known as the
kiosk of Taharqa who ruled during the 25th Dynasty. This is the only
column left from a colonnade that once had 10 columns.
On the left side of this Court there are 3 chapels, which were built
by King Seti II for the “Triad of Thebes”. On the right side is the
Temple of Ramses III. This Temple consists of a small pylon, an open
court and Hypostyle hall, leading to the sanctuary.
Horemheb built the 2nd Pylon during the 18th Dynasty, though it is
now badly damaged. Ramses I, the founder of the 19th Dynasty, later
completed it. Passing the 2nd Pylon, we enter the Great Hypostyle
Hall, which measures 103m in length and 52m in width. It contains
134 papyrus columns; each column is about 22m in height and 3.5m in
diameter. Amenhotep III built it and Ramses I, Seti I, and Ramses II
decorated it, while King Seti I erected the other 122 columns in 14
rows.
The ceiling in the centre is higher than the laterals, and it allows
light into this spot, which was the processional avenue of the Triad
during the festival of the Opet. The scenes of the Hypostyle Hall
represent King Seti I, in front of different deities, making
offerings, while the southern wall is decorated with scenes of
Ramses II, making offerings to the different deities or worshipping
the Triad of Thebes.
The Hypostyle Hall leads to The 3rd Pylon, which was built by
Amenhotep III. It is remarkable that stones from previous periods
were found incrusted in that Pylon, for example, the marble
alabaster of Amenhotep I!
Crossing the 3rd Pylon, you come to an open, rectangular court,
which is known as the Court of Tuthmosis I. In this court, Tuthmosis
I erected 2 obelisks, as most probably this area was the main
entrance of the Temple during his reign. Unfortunately, only one
obelisk has survived: 19m high and around 310 tons in weight.
From the Court of Tuthmosis, we reach the 4th Pylon, which Tuthmosis
I also built; beyond this is a rectangular colonnade, which he built
as well. When Hatshepsut ascended to the throne she built 2 obelisks
in that colonnade, the left one is still in its original position:
29.5m in height, 322 tons in weight and made of red granite!
After the death of Queen Hatshepsut, King Tuthmoses III built a
high, long wall around these 2 obelisks to hide them.
The 5th Pylon, yet again built by Tuthmosis I, is damaged and on
both sides of the entrance,Tuthmosis III built two small rooms.
We are now at the 6th Pylon, which was built by Tuthmosis III.
Beyond this pylon Tuthmosis III built his famous hall, which is
known as the Ancestral Room. The original Sanctuary was built by
Tuthmosis III, but Philip Arrhidaeus, the half brother of Alexander
the Great, later rebuilt it.
The sanctuary was built of granite, and it was dedicated to the
sacred boat of Amon Ra. Behind the sanctuary you will see a court,
dating back to the time of the Middle Kingdom. It is a wide-open
courtyard that is badly damaged now. Most probably this spot was the
site of an old Temple, dating back to the time of the Middle
Kingdom: the origin of the Karnak Temple.
The Karnak Temple
-
Luxor Temple
-
The Temple of Deir El-Bahri
-
The Temple of
Abydos -
Temple of Dendera
-
Temple of
Madinat Habu -
The Temple of Edfu
-The
Temple of Kom Ombo -
The Temple of Philae
-
The Temple of
Isis -The
Temples of Abu Simbel -
Temple of The Ramesseum
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