Karnak|The Hundred-Gated City in 'The Iliad' did not deceive me
The Hundred-Gated City in 'The Iliad' did not deceive me. A die-hard fan of ancient Egypt might feel rushed even after 3 hours, and if you really are short on time, make sure to at least quickly visit the following spots:
【Sphinx Avenue】3 km Sphinx Avenue
【Great Temple of Amun】dedicated to the chief god of Thebes, Amun
【Hypostyle Hall】a prime spot for photography
【Mut Precinct】dedicated to the consort of Amun, Mut
【Montu Precinct】dedicated to the Theban god of war, Montu
【Obelisk of Hatshepsut】the tallest in all of Egypt
【Temple of Khonsu】dedicated to the moon god Khonsu, son of Amun
【Sacred Scarab & Sacred Lake】make a wish like a high priest
Monument: Karnak
Era: 1570-1590 BC
Address: Eastbank of Luxor
Hours: 6:00~18:00
Ticket: 450 Egyptian pounds (as of February 2024)
Visit: Recommended 3 hours or more
Highlights: As an extraordinary architectural complex, it features sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons, a sacred lake, obelisks, and colossal statues.
① The construction, renovation, expansion, decoration, and restoration of this architectural complex continued for over 1500 years.
② The 21-meter-high columns in the Karnak courtyard symbolize the papyrus that grows along the Nile, with 134 columns soaring into the sky.
③ In the Hypostyle Hall, the reliefs that are finely detailed and have clear relief are from the time of Seti I, while the rougher ones are from the time of Ramses II.
④ In addition to the Theban triad of gods (Amun/Mut/Khonsu), the temple also served the living pharaohs.
⑤ As the most magnificent monument in the world, it covers an area of 5500 square meters, enough to accommodate both St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
⑥ Amun was originally a local deity of Thebes, but with the New Kingdom's unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, the local god Amun became the supreme god of all Egypt.
⑦ The Karnak Temple fully reflects the status of Amun-Ra at the time; at its peak, the temple owned 42,100 cattle, 65 cities, 83 warships, 2,764 square kilometers of farmland, and 81,000 people working for the rulers of Thebes.
⑧ This Hundred-Gated City from 'The Iliad' was ultimately destroyed by the looting of the Assyrian and Persian armies, and since the Greco-Roman period, it has become the largest archaeological site in the world.
⑨ The scarab Khepri stone sculpture between the fifth pylon and the obelisk was originally dedicated to the sun god by Amenhotep III.
⑩ According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, the priests of Amun had to bathe in the sacred lake twice a day, morning and evening.
In a country with a ton of temples, this is one of the better ones. Try to hire a certified tour guide to talk about all of the history of the temple.
This is the most impressive Temple in Luxor. It's so beautiful. Definitely worth seeing.
super cool! it honestly is so big and there is a lot to see, loads of vibrant colors too!
The most spectacular temple in Luxor, Egypt, is worth a visit
[Introduction to Scenic Spots] Karnak Temple is the most magnificent temple left over from the ancient Egyptian Empire. It is world-renowned for its vast scale and covers more than 30 hectares only in well-preserved parts. There are three parts in the Karnak temple: the Amun temple, the Amun temple, the Mut temple, the Amun wife's war goddess, and the Monsieur temple. [Overall Feeling] When you come to Egypt, apart from looking up at the magical pyramids in Cairo, you have to visit the Karnak Temple. Walking into the scenic spot, your first feeling is shock. The magnificent super-long Jingdao composed of the Sphinx and the Sheep's Face gives people a strong sense of ritual and dignity. Excellent. What's more, in such temples thousands of years ago, these sculptures were well preserved. We can't help but wonder at the wisdom of the ancient Egyptians. Then the 8-metre-high statue of Ramses II came into view, standing on the soles of his feet is his beloved wife, Nafiltari. Moving forward, the most striking thing is the dozens of huge columns carved with ancient Egyptian stories, each of which can tell a long series of stories. Of course, time is limited. The tour guide only told some stories. In the temple, there are coloured columns, after so many years, the colour is intact, which can not help but amaze us. Then in Egypt, the Obelisk must also be seen, there are many obelisks in the temple, each has a story, so we need to investigate carefully. In addition, the Karnak temple is too big. Our tour guide gave us two hours of free activities and one hour of lecture. It seems that the time is really not enough. The Karnak temple is very big, and the stories are very many, so we are just watching the flowers. In addition, it is highly recommended that you go in January - February, not very hot, very comfortable.
The sun god Amon was the local god of Thebes, and when Thebes became the emperor, the god of Amon became the largest god in ancient Egypt, and the temple of Amon was built the largest religious building in history. In fact, the main body of the Karnake Temple is the Amon Temple. The most eye-catching is the magnificent multi-pillar hall. Walking during it is like walking in the stone pillar forest. Not only are there many stone pillars, but they are tall and strong, like papyrus. In fact, they are a bit like Angkor's Linga, but they are magnificent beyond imagination. The sun shines in, the light and shadow move, the yin and yang overlap, giving people a sense of mystery and deepness. How should Amon God go through it? I like it so much.