Karnak

Considered the oldest, largest and most important temple in ancient Egypt. Construction is said to have begun about 2,000 BCE, with work continuing until near the end of the 4th century BCE. Each pharoah felt the need to add to or modify the temple to make their own statement. The temple is primarily dedicated to Amum-Re, the creator deity and chief god among the Egyptian gods.
The temple is entered along what had been a canal up to an access marked by ram headed sphinxes (1st picture) with small statues of the pharoah between the forelegs (2nd picture) indicating that the pharoah was protected by Amun.
The 3rd picture is in the large courtyard looking at statues along one side.
The 4th picture looks from the sanctuary back along the main access, through the gates to the entry where the former canal came in.
Probably the most famous part of the temple is the hypostyle hall. This consists of 134 columns, most about 15 meters tall and 3 meters in diameter. The most central pair are over 20 meters tall, creating a clerestory roof. The last 2 pictures are of the hypostyle hall, with a detail of part of the original roof and of some of the original paintWeiterlesen