Temple of Amun
Egypt
Temple of Amun, also known as Karnak Temples. You visit what is considered to be one of the world's greatest architectural masterpieces, namely the complex of Karnak Temples on the East Bank of Luxor. Karnak is a complex of temples built in different reigns, starting with the Avenue of Sphinxes, the Hypostyle Hall with its 134 gigantic columns, the Obelisks of Queen Hatshepsut and Tutomosis I, the Temple of Amon adorned with lotus and papyrus designs, the Granite Scarbeus of Amenophis III and the Sacred Lake. Karnak beats every other pharaonic monument: it is simply one of the most beautiful ancient monuments in Egypt.
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to the Karnak Temple Complex, specifically the Precinct of Amun-Ra, the largest religious sanctuary ever constructed by human hands. As a scholar of antiquity, I invite you to view this not merely as a ruin, but as a…
Listen in the app2The Avenue of Sphinxes and the First Pylon
We begin at the grand approach, the Avenue of Sphinxes. Notice that these are not the human-headed sphinxes of Giza, but ram-headed creatures with lion bodies. …
Listen in the app3The Open Court and the Temple of Ramses III
Entering the Great Court, the largest single area of the complex, we find ourselves in a space that once served as a staging ground for the common people during major festivals. To your right stands the compact and well-preserved…
Listen in the app4The Stone Forest — The Great Hypostyle Hall
Now, we step into one of the most magnificent spectacles of the ancient world: the Great Hypostyle Hall. This 'forest of columns' consists of 134 massive pillars, with the twelve central columns rising to 21 meters—roughly the…
Listen in the app5The Needle of the Gods — Obelisks of Thutmose I and Hatshepsut
As we move further into the older heart of the temple, we encounter the obelisks—monolithic needles of granite that symbolically connected the earth with the solar gods. The first you see was erected by Thutmose I, standing 19…
Listen in the app6The Holy of Holies and the Sacred Bark Shrine
We have reached the most sacred spot in all of Egypt: the Holy of Holies. This small, dark chamber at the very heart of the complex is where the golden statue of Amun-Ra was housed. …
Listen in the app7The Sacred Lake and the Botanical Garden
Exiting toward the rear of the complex, we find the Sacred Lake. Every Egyptian temple had a body of water, but this is the largest and most functional to survive. …
Listen in the app8Closing
Our journey through the Precinct of Amun-Ra at Karnak concludes where it began—at the intersection of human ambition and divine mystery. We have walked through 1,500 years of history, from the reconstructed White Chapel of…
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What is Temple of Amun?
Temple of Amun is a place in Egypt with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | Egypt |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 25.7021, 32.6472 |
| Last updated |
