karnak temple
CategoriesEgypt Egypt Explorers By Egypt

Karnak Temple

Luxor is one of Egypt’s most precious inheritances when it comes to Egyptian ancient civilization. With a vast number of incredible ancient monuments, one of Luxor’s great temples is the Karnak Temple.

The Karnak Temple Complex consists of a number of temples, chapels, and other buildings in the form of a village, and is for that reason that the name Karnak was given to this complex as in Arabic Karnak means ‘fortified village’.

Where is the Karnak Temple located?
The Karnak temple is located in Karnak, in Luxor Governorate, in the south of Egypt on the east side of the Nile River bank.

When was the Karnak Temple built?
The Karnak Temple dates back from around 2055 BC to around 100 AD. It was built as a cult temple and was dedicated to the gods Amun, Mut, and khonsu. Being the largest building for religious purposes ever to be constructed, the Karnak Temple was known as “most select of places” by ancient Egyptians.

Who were the gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu?
Amun
Also Known as Amon, Ammon, and Amen, Amun was the Egyptian god of the sun and air. Regarded as one of the most important gods, Amun is the ancient Egyptian civilization during the beginning of the rise of the New Kingdom from 1570 to 1069 BCE.

Mut
Also known as Maut and Mout, Mut was a goddess worshiped by ancient Egyptians. The meaning of her name is ‘mother’ and therefore she was known as the mother goddess. For some, she was known as the mother of everything in the world, and for others, they recognized her as the mother of the moon child god khonsu.

Khonsu
Known as the son of goddess Mut, Khonsu was the ancient Egyptian god of the Moon. The meaning of his name is ‘traveler’.

Karnak Temple

The Importance of the Karnak Temple
During the New Kingdom, the Karnak Temple Complex was the center of the ancient faith while power was concentrated at Thebes (modern-day Luxor) and its significance is reflected in its enormous size.

In addition to its religious significance, it was also served as a treasury, administrative center, and palace for the New Kingdom pharaohs. It is to this day considered as the largest temple complex ever constructed anywhere in the world.

It developed over a period of 1500 years, added to by generation after generation of pharaohs and resulting in a collection of temples, sanctuaries, pylons, and other decorations that is unparalleled throughout Egypt.

While the height of its importance was during the New Kingdom and during the reigns of famous pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Tuthmose III, Seti I and Ramesses II, all contributed significant additions to the complex, construction continued into the Greco-Roman Period with the Ptolemies, Romans, and early Christians all leaving their mark there.

Karnak Temple

Visiting the Karnak Temple Complex
Karnak is divided into three compounds: the precinct of Amun, the precinct of Mut, and the precinct of Montu; however, for most visitors the largest of these, the precinct of Amun, is enough. It is a complicated layout alone dwarfs every other site that you will visit in Egypt.

The precinct of Amun contains all of the most famous sections of the Karnak complex, including the dizzying Great Hypostyle Hall. This hall of 134 massive columns is one of the most impressive places in all of Egypt. Going into the detailed description of the different elements that make up the complex is a near-endless task that we will leave to a tour guide to explain it while you awe at it.

Instead, we will simply suggest that you allow plenty of time to explore this huge complex and admire the many impressive sights within it. Imagine how awe-inspiring it must have been over 2000 thousand years ago when these huge structures were newly constructed.

Like all of the major sights in Egypt, Karnak has a sound and light show that is offered in several different languages. The show takes place 3 times a night, but you should consult your tour guide or your hotel about the languages of the various showings.

Karnak Temple

Wadjet Hall
Wadjet Hall was first built by Thutmose I, near the main sanctuary, between the fourth and fifth pylons. The hall measures about 246 feet by 46 feet; it was used for the king’s coronation and heb-sed festival.

The heb-sed festival usually would take place 30 years after a king came to the throne and then every three years afterwards. During this festival, the king would run around a heb-sed court performing feats of strength to demonstrate his ability to continue to rule Egypt.

The Great Hypostyle Hall
Great Hypostyle Hall is perhaps the most fantastic building at Karnak. It was built to the west to the main sanctuary, along the main entranceway. It was constructed by King Seti, a king who ruled from 1290 to 1279 B.C.

The building is about 337 feet by 170 feet. There are 134 columns in total; the largest twelve are 70 feet high and support the central part of the structure. The other 122 columns are about 40 feet tall.

On the outside walls are scenes showing Seti and his successor, Ramesses II, smiting their enemies from Libya, Syria and the Levant. Not long after its construction, the hall became the setting for coronation and heb-sed ceremonies, replacing the Wadjet hall.

Karnak’s Pylons
Starting in the New Kingdom and continuing in the centuries after, Egyptian rulers would gradually create a series of 10 pylons at Karnak. These pylons would function as gateways of sorts; they were connected to each other through a network of walls.

The Pylons were often decorated with scenes depicting the ruler who built them.

At Karnak, the pylons start near the main sanctuary and go in two different directions. One set of six pylons faces west, towards the Nile River and ends in an entrance lined with an avenue of small sphinxes and the other set of four pylons faces south along a processional route used for ceremonies.

abu simbel temples
CategoriesEgypt Egypt Explorers By Egypt

Abu Simbel Temples

This site, Abu Simbel Temples, south of Aswan along Lake Nasser’s shore is the most famous in all of Egypt after the Giza Pyramids. Built by the greatest of the pharaohs, Ramesses II, which made it also known as the Temple of Ramses II or Ramesses II, these huge rock-cut temples marked the southern boundary of the Egyptian Empire with Nubia at the peak of its power during the New Kingdom.

They were meant to convey the power of Egypt’s rulers to anyone who laid eyes upon them. The four statues guarding the doorway to the larger of these temples are the largest sculptures that survive from the ancient Pharaonic era.

Where are the Abu Simbel Temples located?
The Abu Simbel Temples are located at Abu Simbel, a small village of Aswan in Upper Egypt near the border with Sudan on the western bank of Lake Nasser.

Why were the Abu Simbel Temples built?
The twin temples were built to serve as a lasting monument to the king and his queen Nefertari, and commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh.

The Rediscovery of the Abu Simbel Temples
After being lost form civilization for a while, the Abu Simbel Temples was rediscovered in 1813 by Swiss explorer John Lewis Burckhardt. The temples had long been forgotten and the sands of the desert had covered all but the tops of the heads of the huge statues in front of their entrances.

Since 1909 when the sand was finally cleared away, these twin temples have become the most famous site in Egypt’s south.

Relocation of the Abu Simbel Temples
As a result of the rising waters of the Nile River that were about to result from the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the twin temples of Abu Simbel were under a threat. The Temples of Abu Simbel were relocated in order to rescue the ancient temples from the waters of the Nile.

The Abu Simbel Temples were dismantled and relocated in 1968 on the desert plateau 64 meters above and 180 meters west of their original built site. Moving the temples was not a job; it was massive work. It included cutting the temples into pieces between 3 to 20 tons in weight and reassembling them precisely as they were at the new site. It took almost five years to finish the relocation.

What are the Abu Simbel Temples look like?
There are two temples. The first one is the Great Temple which is dedicated to Ramesses II himself and the second temple, Small Temple, which is dedicated to his wife Queen Nefertari.

Great Temple
The Great Temple at Abu Simbel took around twenty years to build. Also known as Temple of Ramses II, it was dedicated to the gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as to the Great King Ramesses himself. It is generally considered the grandest and most beautiful of the temples commissioned during Ramesses II’s reign, and one of the most beautiful in Egypt.

The entrance to the Great Temple is flanked by four colossal statues on its facade, 20 m statues, each one representing Ramesses II seated on a throne. The façade of the main temple is decorated with hieroglyphs that commemorate the great victory of Ramses II at the Battle of Kades.

Upon entering the great temple, there are a series of rooms, dedicated to Ramses himself and important members of his family. The final room, the sanctum sanctorum, remains in darkness every day except two days a year. This was not done by chance, it was necessary a broad knowledge of science, mathematics, architecture, and astronomy to achieve this result.

Small Temple
The second temple, the Small Temple, is dedicated to the goddess Hathor. Although significantly smaller than the first, it was built to honor Ramses’ favorite wife, Nefertari. The queen appears on an equal footing with the pharaoh. It’s also known as the Temple of Hathor and Nefertari.

The rock-cut façade of the temple is decorated with two groups of colossi that are separated by the large gateway.

Alignment of the Sun with the Temple of Ramses II, Abu Simbel
The larger temple is aligned with the sun, so twice a year the sun shines in its deepest recesses to illuminate a statue of Ramses and the gods to which the temple is dedicated.

The ancient architects positioned the temple so that sunlight reached the room on February 22, the anniversary of his accession to the throne and on his birthday, October 22. On these two dates, the sun rises and illuminates the temple corridor, and three of the four statues in the sanctuary. The first three statues are of Pharaoh Ramses II, Ra (the god of sun), and Ammon (the king of the gods). Ramses was included with the gods because, like the other pharaohs, he considered himself a god. The fourth statue remains in darkness because it represents Ptah, the god of darkness. This statue has never seen sunlight in more than 3,200 years.

What is the Abu Simbel Sun Festival?
Twice a year, people from around the world gather at the Temples of Abu Simbel to celebrate the ancient Egyptians and all that they accomplished. Aptly named Sun Festival, the central chamber of the temple is illuminated by the sun.

When is the Abu Simbel Sun Festival?
The Abu Simbel Sun Festival takes place on February 22nd and October 22nd of every year to much fanfare with several thousand people gathering early in the morning to see this testament to the knowledge and skill that the ancient Egyptians possess in order to align the temple so perfectly.

How to get to the Abu Simbel Temples?
The temples are located several hours drive, south of Aswan, but most tourists actually arrive at Abu Simbel by plane. The flight from Aswan is only 30 minutes and there are two flights a day, timed so that tourists will have about two hours to spend at the temples.

It is also possible to visit Abu Simbel by joining a Lake Nasser cruise. These ships moor just in front of the temples so that passengers have a chance to see the temples by moonlight and in the early morning light.

Pyramids of Giza
CategoriesEgypt Egypt Explorers By Egypt

Egypt in Words

Egypt In Words
Egypt is considered as one of the remarkable countries due to the richness of its history and the significance of its position between the other countries. Over the years Egypt has had named by different names with different languages due to the richness of its history. Egypt is well-known as the Arab Republic of Egypt. During the ancient Egyptian they used to name it Kemet, and it means black and it was called that due to the richness of its black soil which came as a result of the Nile’s annual flooding process. The yearly Natural event did result in the fertile land which was one of the main factors for the land’s expansion and spreading the Egyptian culture with the other countries. So when you visit you are going to notice that the Egyptians (locals) name Egypt as Misr.

General information About Egypt
Egypt is located in the northeast part of Africa and covers around 1,001,450 km2, also well known as the 3 rd most populous country in Africa and number one in the Middle East with a total population of 99,897,945 based upon the latest updates from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. Due to Egypt’s exceptional position on the map Egypt is well known as one of the most powerful countries in the Middle East and the Muslim world.

Egypt Kingdoms
Since ancient Egypt and the land of the pharaohs were divided into two regions or Kingdoms they were called Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. The terminologies of Upper and Lower Egypt came as a result of the flow of the Nile River. If you go to the north you will find what we call the Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. If you head to the south you are going to be located in Upper Egypt which is stretched out to Aswan.

in addition to this Easter tour of Egypt

Egypt Religions
-Egypt recognizes officially three Religions, Islam which is Egypt’s religion-state due to the Religious believers

-Holds the Evangelic and the Protestant. Egypt Hosts a considerable number of historical Churches due to the minority of Christian Egyptians who are living in Egypt some of the most magnificent yet the oldest Churches can be found in the area of Old Cairo. And

-the Final Religion is Judaism and their population in Egypt is around 2% only.

not only but also Egypt day tours

Capital Of Egypt
Cairo is well-known as the capital of Egypt, also well known for its touristic attraction locations. Cairo city is remarkable with the pyramids of Giza which are considered as one of the remarkable world wonders. The Pyramids are considered as the fourth dynasty temples which were considered as one of the country’s major highlights. The Pyramid of Khufu is well known as the largest among the group. Directly behind the great pyramid is the solar Boat Museum which displays one of the ceremonial solar barks unearthed in the area that has been painstakingly restored to its original glory. Then we do have the Pyramid of Khefre which comes as number two after the largest one and finally the smallest the Pyramid of Mencaure. The pharaohs thought that they needed to guard those temples so they thought about building the Lion Bodied and Pharaoh-face Sphinx which is considered as one of the ancient world’s iconic monuments. Also, Cairo holds more tourist attractions locations as the Egyptian Museum with all its treasures which only shows the greatness of ancient Egyptian history. Al Azhar Mosque also located in Cairo and it was built during the Fatimid era, it’s considered one of the finest mosques in Egypt. Another touristic attraction located in the capital of Egypt is Old

-Cairo holds a huge portion of the Christian history in Egypt. Yet Cairo holds endless interesting touristic attraction locations that are waiting to be explored.

-Talking about Cairo as the capital of Egypt leads up to mention the oldest capital in Egypt which is Thebes or in another word or how we name it now a day’s Luxor which is considered as an open museum with all its temples starting from Luxor Temple to

-Karnak Temple to the Valley of the Kings and more. When we mention Luxor we need to mention Aswan with its magical scene and islands and the Nubian village and the high dam.

-All and more are waiting to be explored in the Country which holds the first civilization in history. A country that wakes up each and every day with a new discovery about a civilization that humanity should be proud of.