Karnak
Karnak is an Egyptian village 2.5 km away. from the city of Luxor. This place was once home to the largest city in ancient Egypt, Thebes, which was the center of religion and architecture. Karnak today is a museum of ancient buildings, which is located in the open air. There are a lot of structures in this village, some of which are in ruins, but even from the ruins, there is an idea of the greatness of these objects.
Every pharaoh who ruled this land from the 16th to the 11th centuries BC made his own adjustments, trying to perpetuate his name. Mighty columns, grandiose palaces, all kinds of obelisks, sculptures, halls, various figures, as well as a large number of sphinxes – all this attracts tourists from all over the world. But the most important attraction of Karnak is the temple of Amun Ra, which is considered the largest in the entire ancient world. Its components are ten huge columns, large halls, obelisks, convex sculptures in the walls, which give us the opportunity to imagine the life of the ancient Egyptians. This temple is also famous for its huge hall, which has an area of 5,000 m2. It is surrounded by columns that reach the level of a modern eight-storey building, and their width is amenable to the embrace of only six adults. The 30-meter granite monolith in the shape of a needle was completed by a female pharaoh named Hatshepsut during her government. In the middle of the temple, calmness comes and harmony is felt. The Temple of Amun Ra and the Luxor Temple on the banks of the Nile were once connected by a multi-kilometer alley where religious events were held. This trail consists of numerous Sphinxes, some of which have been preserved and represent absolutely identical figures in the form of a lion with the head of a sacred animal – a ram. This complex is also filled with smaller temples that are closed to the public. This is the temple of Montu, Mut, as well as Amenhotep IV.
In our time, magnificent murals on the walls have been preserved, which were produced during the time of the New Kingdom. These drawings give us a clear picture of the life of the Egyptians, who are represented at work in the workshops, as well as during the funeral processes.
From the drawings on the walls in the Festive Hall of Thutmose III, where images of saints were painted on top of hieroglyphs, we have an idea of the religion of those times. The fact is that in the IV century A.D., the Christian faith began to actively spread in Egypt. At that time, pagan temples were destroyed and churches with the Christian religion were opened.
At one time, the whole of Karnak was enclosed by a large wall, which is now underground. Excavations are currently being actively carried out here, which can be seen by tourists in reality. The village of Karnak, along with its temple of Amun Ra, is today one of the most visited places by tourists in Egypt. Guests have the opportunity to watch a laser show with music, as well as listen to a story about ancient Egypt, and buy a souvenir. All this deserves a lot of attention from travelers.
