Visitors Checklist:
The temple is located in Sharia al-Karnak, 3 Km NE of
City Of Luxor, which
could be easily reached by taxi, mini buses or even bicycles. It
is highly recommended to visit the site as part of a one-day trip
to be able to soak in all its magnificent details
A glimpse into the complex:
- Visitors start their exploration tour by strolling through
an impressive alley of sphinxes. The sphinxes have heads of
rams, representing the creator God; Khnum and bodies of a lion
to reflect strength, wisdom and courage. The majestic entrance
leads visitors to the first grand Pylon, which sets the first
step of the exploration tour
- Visitors first encounter will be with the first forecourt,
where a small temple with three shrines on the left side. These
are the holy barks of the God of all Gods Amon, Mut; the great
mother goddess of Egypt and Khonsu; the ancient great lover
of games. On the left side of this courtyard lies the ancient
temple of Ramses III from the 20th Dynasty. The temple is 200-foot-long
featuring three bark chapels, a hypostyle hall of eight columns,
a vestibule with four columns, and an open court. Statues of
Ramses III surround the court in a breathtaking site worth capturing.
- After visiting the second pylon, visitors will enter a star
feature of the complex; the Great Hypostyle Hall, measuring
102x53 meters. At its entrance, visitors will be struck by an
imposing granite statue of Ramses II, with one of his daughters
at his feet. The hall used to serve as the Gods house on earth,
built under Pharaoh Seti I and its magnificent decoration was
completed during Ramses II. The hall is famous for being the
glorious highlight of Karnak, characterized by 134 gigantic
columns.
- Next to the Great Hypostyle hall lies another star feature
of the complex, known as the Great Festival Temple. The central
hall of this temple was built by Tuthmosis III and was supposedly
designed to resemble the tent in which he lived whilst on campaign.
Visitors should pay a visit the Botanic Gardens also built by
Tuthmosis III. The gardens are a roof-less enclosure lying behind
the great festival temple, and decorated with reliefs of exotic
flora and fauna brought back to Egypt by the Pharaoh during
his campaign in Syria.
- Opposite to the Great Festival Temple, lies the Sacred Lake;
a tranquil lake, where ancient priests purified themselves in
the holy water before performing rituals in the temple. North
of the lake stands a huge stone scarb of Khepri built by AmenhotepIII,
and believed to perform miracles.
Visitors can enjoy the magnificence of the temple at night, by
attending the Sound and Light show, narrated in different languages
to tale in details the history of the complex and its matchless
mysterious. Tickets and inquiries about the languages available
can be acquired from any tourist office.
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