Egypt Guide
The Nile Valley
Karnak
The temple complex of Karnak beats every other pharaonic monument bar the Pyramids of Giza. Built on a leviathan scale to house the gods, it comprises three separate temple enclosures, the grandest being the Precinct of Amun, dedicated to the supreme god of the New Kingdom – a structure large enough to accommodate ten great cathedrals.
Karnak's magnitude and complexity is due to 1300 years of aggrandizement. From its XII Dynasty core, Amun's temple expanded along two axes – west towards the river and south towards the Temple of Mut – while its enclosure wall approached the Temple of Mont. Though Pharaoh Akhenaten abjured Amun, defaced his images and erected an Aten Temple at Karnak, the status quo ante was soon restored at the behest of Amun's priesthood.
At the zenith of its supremacy Karnak's wealth was staggering. A list of its assets during the reign of Ramses III includes 65 villages, 433 gardens, 421,662 head of cattle, 2395 square kilometres of fields, 46 building sites, 83 ships, and 81,322 workers and slaves. Yet ordinary folk were barred from its precincts and none but the pharaoh or his representative could enter Amun's sanctuary. The whole area was known to the Ancient Egyptians as Ipet-Isut, meaning the most perfect or esteemed of places.
The site of Karnak covers nearly half a square kilometre, 2.5km north of central Luxor. The only part that's readily accessible is the Precinct of Amun ( Opening time: Daily: summer 6am-6.30pm; winter 6am-5.30pmPrice: £E50, students £E25), which hosts nightly sound and light shows. This alone requires at least two hours for a quick look round; three or four hours for a closer examination. As there's little shade, make sure you wear a hat and bring water. Usually the temple is busy with tour groups from 9am to mid-afternoon, so come early or late to beat the crowds. A cafe by the Sacred Lake sells tea and soft drinks, and toilets can be found near the grandstand and the open-air museum.