Karnak

Karnak refers to the Karnak Temple Complex, a vast ancient Egyptian temple complex on the east bank of the Nile at Thebes, near present-day Luxor. It was devoted primarily to the god Amun-Ra, with sacred precincts for Mut and Khonsu. Construction spans many centuries, beginning in the Middle Kingdom and reaching its height in the New Kingdom (roughly 16th–11th centuries BCE). The complex grew through the reigns of numerous pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, and Ramses II, with later additions by Ptolemaic and Roman rulers.

The largest religious structure at Karnak is the Great Temple of Amun-Ra. Its most famous feature is the hypostyle hall, a forest of 134 columns arranged in 16 aisles, with the central columns reaching about 24 meters in height. The complex also contains the Sacred Lake used for ritual purification, vast courtyards and pylons, several smaller temples, and a network of chapels. The Precinct of Amun-Ra forms the religious core, flanked by the Precinct of Mut and the smaller Precinct of Khonsu. The Avenue of the Sphinxes once linked Karnak to the nearby temple at Luxor.

Karnak was central to the religious life of ancient Thebes and remained an important cult center into the late antique period. Modern excavations, beginning in the 19th century under Auguste Mariette and continued by later scholars, have revealed its complex history. Today, Karnak is a major archaeological site and a UNESCO World Heritage component within Theban Necropolis, attracting researchers and visitors from around the world.