Karnak - Karnak

Sphinx avenue in front of the Karnak Temple
el-Karnak · ‏الكرنك‎
GovernorateLuxor
Residents
26.488 (2006)
height
82 m
no tourist info on Wikidata: Add tourist information
location
Location map of Egypt
Reddot.svg
Karnak

The egyptian city el-Karnak (Arabic:الكرنك‎, al-Karnak) is located 3 kilometers north of Luxor in the governorate Luxor. With the Temple of Karnak, it houses the most important and largest temple complex Egypt. The temple complex of Karnak is one of Egypt Unesco world heritage sites.

background

Location and name of the city

The city, located three kilometers north of Luxor, was first established south of the Karnak temple created. The Sphinx avenue, the Karnak- mit dem Luxor temple connects, runs directly through the former village. It was not until the 20th century that people settled north of the temple complex. This district will New Karnak, English: New Karnak, Arabic:الكرنك الجديدة‎, al-Karnak al-Hadida, called. In the west and east of the forecourt of the Karnak Temple, two roughly parallel streets begin through New Karnak. The western of the two streets is the Nile Hilton Hotel St., Arabic:شارع فندق النيل هيلتون‎.

The modern Arabic name Karnak has only been documented since the 17th century.[1] The origin of the name is unknown. It may refer to the ancient Egyptian temple complex or its surrounding wall and means fortress or fortified village.[2] The village is the namesake of the local temple complex.

Pharaonic history

The Temple of Amun-Re exists at this point (probably) since 11th dynasty until the roman time. This place was in Pharaonic times Ipet-sut, Called "chosen place". The timing of the earliest construction is disputed. It is the largest and probably the most impressive temple complex in Egypt. The oldest testimony is the column Antefs II. (11th Dynasty) with a dedication to Amun. It is now in the museum of Luxor. This is the time when Thebes rises to residence.

Next Amun-Re also became his wife, the goddess here courage and her son Chons and numerous other deities are worshiped.

The buildings of the Middle Kingdom were in the area of ​​the open space in front of the festival hall Thutmosis ’III. However, only a few remains of the foundation wall of the Temple of Sesostris ’I, a 40 × 40 meter complex, have been preserved. Remains of a Sedfest temple in the courtyard in front of the 7th pylon come from the same king. The most important system of this king was found built into a pylon. But today it has been rebuilt in the open-air museum: the White Chapel (chapelle blanche) Sesostris ’I.

The temple parts preserved today date from the 18th dynasty. As a rough rule, the younger parts of the temple have been placed in front of the temple in the west; the temple parts at the entrance are therefore the youngest. In addition to the main temple, several other temples, e.g. for Chons, Apet and Ptah, and numerous chapels were built.

Outside the temple complex are the Temple of the Month to the north and the Temple of Mut to the south. The courage temple complex is now also accessible to travelers.

History since the turn of the ages

In Coptic times, the Karnak Temple was used for monks' quarters, monastery complexes and church (s), such as B. on the frescoes in the festival hall Thutmose ’III. can be seen. Possibly they were still in use until the 11th century AD. Even if the place was visited by several Arab authors, only scant information from the Middle Ages has survived. The two-number for the city mentioned in Christian sources Luxor, el-Uqṣurein, ‏الأقصرين, Refers to the both Karnak and Luxor temples.

Research history

One of the earliest travelers to visit Karnak and its temple complexes was from Morocco native traveler Abū Dschaʿfar el-Idrīsī (1173–1251) with his father. In his report from his Pyramid book he lamented the senseless destruction of the temple complex.[3]

“When I remember the events of the time and the events of the past, I remember that once in the company of my immortalized Father I passed the Temple of Luxor on the Nile [Temple of Northern Luxor] as we were both on our way to Sāma and Ṭāma were in the south. At that time the hand of destruction had not yet reached the reliefs of this temple, which time had left intact, and the lines of the inscriptions had not yet been erased from the stone slabs of its walls. It is one of the most spacious and largest [temples] with the tallest and most sublime walls. ... My father said to me: 'My son, look at what the pharaohs built and how it is destroying these gates! ... If I had the opportunity, I would not let these fools do their work of destruction! For what wisdom disappears from earth with them! ‘"

The Coptic writer Abū el-Makārim, in tradition Abū Ṣāliḥ the Armenian, reported at the beginning of the 13th century about the avenue of sphinxes between the temples of Karnak and Luxor.[4]

Europeans did not come to Karnak until the 17th century. The French Capuchin monks Protais and Charles-François d’Orléans were the first to visit Karnak in 1668.[5] A good half century later, around 1737/1738, the English traveler followed Richard Pococke (1704–1765) and reported on his efforts to visit the temple of Carnack to measure.[6]

Extensive excavations at the Karnak Temple took place in the 19th and 20th centuries and are still ongoing today.

getting there

Plan of el-Karnak

By boat

On the bank of the large open space in front of the Karnak Temple there are moorings for Cruise ships. Luxor and / or Karnak are the starting or ending point of Nile cruises, mostly to and from Aswan, less often from and to Cairo.

From Luxor

Karnak can be reached from Luxor by taxi or minibus. It takes about 45 to 60 minutes to walk from the center in Luxor.

By bus

Tourist groups often travel by coach. A large bus parking lot is located south of the visitor center.

mobility

The temple has to be explored on foot. You should allow at least half a day for a (rough) overview. An extended visit takes two or three days.

Tourist Attractions

The Karnak Temple or. Karnak Temple Complex is the main attraction of the city. This is the collective term all Temple districts on site. By far the most important temple district is that of Amun-Re.

Opening times and admission prices

  • 1  Temple district of Amun-Re (‏معبد الكرنك‎, Maʿbad al-Karnak). Temple district of Amun-Re in the encyclopedia WikipediaTemple district of Amun-Re in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsTemple District of Amun-Re (Q1306397) in the Wikidata database.It is one of the most important temple complexes in Egypt.Open: Daily 6 am to 6 pm, during Ramadan until 5 pm (May to September) or 6 am to 5 pm (October to April).Price: Combined ticket with open-air museum LE 200 or LE 100 (as of 11/2019).(25 ° 43 ′ 7 ″ N.32 ° 39 ′ 31 ″ E)
  • 2  Karnak Open Air Museum (‏المتحف المفتوح بالكرنك‎, al-Matḥaf al-Maftūḥ bi-l-Karnak). Karnak Open Air Museum in the Wikipedia encyclopediaKarnak Open Air Museum in the Wikimedia Commons media directoryKarnak Open Air Museum (Q13218762) in the Wikidata database.The museum, laid out within the Karnak temple complex, houses recovered earlier temple parts.Price: included in the combined ticket with the temple district of Amun-Re.(25 ° 43 ′ 10 ″ N.32 ° 39 ′ 27 ″ E)
  • Temple District of Courage. Price: LE 50, for students LE 25 (as of 11/2019).
  • 3  Visitor center (‏مركز الزوار‎, Markaz az-Zuwwār) (southwest of the open space in front of the temple district of Amun-Re). Visitor center in the media directory Wikimedia CommonsVisitor Center (Q17166590) in the Wikidata database.In this center a model of the temple area of ​​Amun-Re, numerous historical photographs and tools of the excavators can be viewed.Price: Free entry.(25 ° 43 '12 "N.32 ° 39 '11 "E)

Temple district of Amun-Re

Entrance pylon of the temple district of Amun-Re

In an easterly direction, past an obelisk of Seti I and the remains of the Sphinx avenue, you reach the I. pylon in the Temple enclosure wall of the temple precinct, which also forms the entrance to the Temple of Amun-Re. In the south you can see the remains of the chapel of the Hakoris. In the courtyard in front of the 2nd pylon you can find the portico of the Taharqa (25th Dynasty), on the left you can see the barque shrines for Mut, Amun and Chons from the time Seti ’II. (19th Dynasty), on the right you can see the entrance to the temple of Ramses ’III. (20th Dynasty), which also served as a boat station. Rows of ram-headed sphinxes can be seen on the north and south courtyard walls. In the southeast corner of this courtyard is the so-called Bubastitentor (22nd Dynasty). The entrance to the second pylon is flanked by two colossal statues of Ramses ’II. If you leave this courtyard through the north gate, you get to the open air museum.

If you walk through this 2nd pylon - under Haremhab (18th Dynasty) - you find yourself in the unique Great Hall of Columns with its 132 mostly papyrus bundle pillars made of sandstone, which supported the roof, of which today only a few windows are preserved. The hall is 104 meters wide and 52 meters deep. Of the numerous reliefs, at least that of Seti I. can be viewed on the north wall.

Through the under Amenhotep III erected III. pylon one reaches a wide central courtyard of shallow depth. In the middle is one of what used to be two obelisks Thutmose ’I. (18th Dynasty), who stand in front of the IV. Pylon which he built. Through this pylon one reaches a portico that is walled Obelisk is from Hatshepsut, followed by the fifth pylon, also erected under Thutmose I. After another columned hall one arrives at the smallest of all pylons. The VI. Pylon was under Thutmose III. built. The two can be found in the adjoining hall on the right (south side) Heraldic pillars made of granite. This hall is followed by the actual cult center, the Granite barque shrine. At its southern end you should turn left: this is where you will find it Annals of Thutmose ’III. of his campaigns in Palestine. If you go to the end of the Annalensaal, you will reach the through a gate Chapel of Hatshepsutwhich still contains remnants of its original color - only the queen has been hacked out.

Large hall of columns in the temple district of Amun-Re

From the barque chapel you can reach a large open space with the modest remains of the Temple complex of the Middle Kingdom the Festival hall Thutmose ’III. The approximately 44 meter wide room is occupied by 20 columns and 32 pillars. On the north side you can still find the remains of statues, in the south-west part there used to be the royal table of Karnak (today in the Louvre).

If you walk further to the east, you should turn to a small hall with four columns in an east-west direction to the left of the center. The so-called Botanic Garden shows numerous depictions of plants and animals. The back of the temple building can be reached via wooden stairs; the chapels located here date from the time of Thutmose III. Further to the east are parts of the temple of Ramses ’II and the Taharqa. The obelisk that no longer exists here today adorns the Lateran in Rome.

Usually one now turns to the south. On the north side of the holy lake there is a covered staircase ("Nilometer") from the 25th dynasty, remains of the temple of Re-Harachte from the time of Taharqa, on the south side of which the Colossal Scarab Amenhotep III. and the top of the second Obelisk of Hatshepsut.

To the west of it you meet the southern extension, the Processional street with the VII to X pylon. To the west in front of the VII. Pylon one met the famous Cachette (a statue hiding place for statues that are no longer needed), whose statues are today Egyptian Museum of Cairo you can see. Immediately in front of the VII pylon are seven colossal statues of kings from the Middle and New Kingdom. The south side of the VII. Pylon continues the war reports Thutmose ’III. away. The VIII. Pylon was erected under Hatshepsut. Its south side shows the defeat of the enemy Amenhotep II. In front of it there are four limestone statues, one shows Amenhotep I. The other two pylons are still being restored. Numerous so-called talatat blocks of the temple were found in the ninth pylon Gem-pa-Aten Akhenaten. Some of these blocks are being reconstructed in the museum of Luxor presents.

Further temples in the temple district of Amun-Re

  • 4 Temple of Chons, ‏معبد خونسو‎, Maʿbat Chonsu, was under Ramses III. and his successors. It is located in the southwest corner of the temple precinct. By a sphinx all of Ramses ’IX. arrives at the entrance pylon on the south side. An open courtyard leads to the pillared hall and then to the holy of holies. Behind it is a small hall with four pillars. The three rooms on the right deserve attention because of the well-preserved decoration. Entering the roof is (actually) not possible. From here one would have a good view of the southern temple area.
  • To the west of the Temple of Chons is the 5 Temple of Ipet, also Temple of Opet, ‏معبد أوبت‎, Maʿbat Ubit, from the time of Ptolemy ’VIII. The temple is not (yet) accessible.
  • On the south side of the courtyard between the first and second pylon is the 6 Temple of Ramses ’III., ‏معبد رمسيس الثالث‎, Maʿbat Ramsīs ath-Thālith. In the courtyard there are eight Osiris pillars on either side and another four at the southern end. In the south one reaches a columned hall with eight columns and three chapels for Mut, Amun and Chons.
  • In the middle of the north enclosure is the 7 Temple of Ptah, ‏معبد بتاح‎, Maʿbat Btāḥ, who under Thutmose III. was erected. There are several late chapels along the way.
  • The temple district of Amun-Re still includes the 8 Temple of Ramses ’II, ‏معبد رمسيس الثاني‎, Maʿbat Ramsīs ath-Thānī, in the east of the district, the 9 Temple of Amenhotep II, ‏معبد أمنحتب الثاني‎, Maʿbat Aminḥotib ath-Thānī, between the 9th and 10th pylon and the 10 holy sea.

Temple outside the temple precinct of Amun-Re

  • In the north is the 11 Temple District of the Month and the Maat, ‏منطقة معبد منتو‎, Minṭaqat Maʿbat Montū, who under Amenhotep III. was established in the 18th dynasty. The area can only be seen from the outside.
  • In the south is the 12 Temple District of Courage, ‏منطقة معبد موط‎, Minṭaqat Maʿbat Mūṭ. It comes from the time of Amenhotep III. In the complex you can find the remains of an Amun temple from the time of Amenhotep III, numerous statues of Sekhmet from the years of Amenhotep III's illness in the northeast. To the south are the remains of a sacred lake and the remains of a temple of Ramses ’III. The temple is actually not accessible; with polite questions and baksheesh sometimes. This temple is not easy to get to because you cannot just walk around the corner of the temple complex. You have to go south of Karnak to the sphinx avenue east of the main road and you would get past the Mut temple to the locked south gate of the Amun temple complex. The admission price is LE 50, for foreign students LE 25 (as of 11/2019).
  • To the northeast of the Mut temple precinct is the small one 13 Temple of Amun-Kamutef. It is not accessible.

open air museum

From the courtyard between the first and second pylon in the temple district of Amun-Re you can reach the open-air museum through the north gate. Before you rush to the museum or when you return, you should pause on the north side of the north wall of the temple and look at the wall decoration - common for this place: these are battle scenes of Seti ’I.

The open-air museum shows temple parts that were broken off in later times in order to reuse them as building or filling material for other temple parts, e.g. for pylons. You have been rebuilt here. The important buildings include:

  • the White chapel (chapelle blanche) Sesostris ’I.,
  • the Red Chapel hatshepsut,
  • and the Alabaster santuary Amenhotep I.

activities

Usually takes place three times a day 1 Light and sound show held at the Temple of Karnak. The entrance fee for foreigners is LE 100. At least 10 people must take part in the shows. One hour before the first show, one can also be offered in Arabic. In winter, another show can be booked at 10:00 p.m.

DayFirst showSecond showThird show
MondayEnglishFrançaisEspañol
TuesdayEnglish日本語German
WednesdayGermanEnglishFrançais
ThursdayEnglishFrançais‏اللغة العربية الفصحى‎
FridayEnglishFrançaisno show
SaturdayFrançaisEnglishGerman
SundayGermanEnglishItaliano
October to March, start7:00 p.m.8:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.
April to September, start8:00 p.m.9:00 p.m.22:00 O'clock

shop

  • There are several souvenir shops in front of the temple.

kitchen

accommodation

Most tourists choose to stay in Luxor. However, there are also some hotels in the north of Karnak:

medium

Upscale

  • 2  Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa, New Karnak. Tel.: 20 (0)95 237 4933, Fax: 20 (0)95 237 6571, Email: . The 5-star hotel, located a good kilometer north of the Karnak Temple, has 236 two-bed rooms, three restaurants (main restaurant Rosetta, Silk Road restaurant with Asian cuisine, Olives restaurant with Mediterranean cuisine), citrus bar, pool bar and tea bar, ballroom for around 180 to 200 people, two conference rooms for around 15 people, each 1.20 meter deep pool and infinity pool (the latter in the spa area), fitness center, spa and shops. The rooms, including standard, deluxe and suites (Junior, Nile and Spa Suite), are equipped with LCD TV, safe and bathroom with shower. In the approximately 1,200 square meter spa area there are, among other things, Steam bath, herbal baths, Kneipp basins and whirlpools. Use of the bathrooms is included in the price. Applications such as massages are available for a fee. The minimum age for using the spa area is 16 years. Even if you are not a hotel guest, you can purchase a day pass to use the hotel's facilities such as the spa. Free WiFi with graduated speeds. Airport transfer possible, but mostly with costs. Free shuttle bus to Luxor between 11am and 1pm and 8pm to 10pm. To a limited extent parking spaces. Danger of falling on a step about half a meter high in the area of ​​the Nile bank.Price: EZ US $ 175 standard, $ 215 deluxe, Double room $ 190 Standard, $ 230 Deluxe, Garden Suite $ 250, Nile Suite $ 465, each B&B (As of 3/2017).Types of payment accepted: all credit cards.(25 ° 43 '49 "N.32 ° 39 '23 "E)last change: Mar. 2017 (information may be out of date)
  • 3  Mercure Luxor Karnak (Karnak Resort Luxor, formerly Sofitel Karnak Hotel), El-Zinia Gebly St., New Karnak. Tel.: 20 (0)95 237 8020, (0)95 237 8025, (0)95 237 8026, Fax: 20 (0)95 237 8021, Email: . Two and a half kilometers north of the Karnak Temple, 5-star hotel with 347 twin rooms with balcony or terrace, including 22 suites and 110 non-smoking rooms. The hotel has three restaurants (main restaurant Opet, À la carte restaurant O Nile, Karnak restaurant with oriental cuisine and grill), three bars (Carter's Bar, Sundowner Bar, Moorich Café), swimming pool, fitness studio, mini golf course, tennis court, sauna, solarium and whirlpool. Children's clubs are available for 4- to 12-year-olds. Babysitters can be arranged on request. Safe at the reception, WiFi in the public area of ​​the hotel, 100 parking spaces.(25 ° 44 '26 "N.32 ° 39 ′ 45 ″ E)last change: Apr. 2016 (information may be out of date)

More hotels are on the West bank in Gazīrat el-Baʿīrāt and Gazīrat er-Ramla, Ṭōd el-Baʿīrāt as Sheikh ʿAbd el-Qurna.

Practical advice

On the way to the open air museum north of the forecourt of the temple precinct of Amun-Re there are Toilets.

trips

In the vicinity

At the location of the capital of the New Kingdom there are several temples, tombs of queens, kings, members of the royal family and high officials. the majority of them are on the west bank:

Distant travel destinations

More travel destinations are in the articles about the governorates Luxor, Qinā and New valley to find.

literature

  • Timm, Stefan: Karnak. In:Christian Coptic Egypt in Arab times; Vol. 3: G - L. Wiesbaden: Reichert, 1985, Supplements to the Tübingen Atlas of the Middle East: Series B, Geisteswissenschaften; 41.3, ISBN 978-3-88226-210-0 , Pp. 1225-1229.
  • Haarmann, U.: al-Uḳṣur. In:Bearman, Peri J. (Ed.): The Encyclopaedia of Islam: Second Edition; Vol. 10: T - U. Suffer: Brill, 2000, ISBN 978-90-04-12761-6 , P. 795.

Literature on the temple complexes is listed in the associated articles.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑See Timm, Christian Coptic Egypt, under literature.
  2. ↑Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topography of Thebes, and general view of Egypt. London: John Murray, 1835, P. 414, footnote (Arabic word for fortress). — Sauneron, Serge: Villes et légend d’Égypte (§ VII-XI). In:Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale (BIFAO), ISSN0255-0962, Vol.64 (1966), Pp. 185–191, in particular “VIII: Le Nom Karnak”, p. 186 f.
  3. ↑Haarmann, Ulrich: Luxor and Heliopolis: A Call for Monument Protection from the 13th Century AD. In:Communications from the German Archaeological Institute, Cairo Department (MDAIK), ISSN0342-1279, Vol.40 (1984), Pp. 153-157. – Idrīsī, Muḥammad Ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzīz al-; Haarmann, Ulrich [arr.]: Kitāb Anwār ʿulwī al-aǧrām fi 'l-kašf ʿan asrār al-ahrām: The pyramid book of Abu Gaʿfar al-Idrisi. Stuttgart: Steiner [and others], 1991, ISBN 978-3-515-05116-3 .
  4. ↑[Abū al-Makārim]; Evetts, B [asil] T [homas] A [lfred] (ed., Transl.); Butler, Alfred J [oshua]: The churches and monasteries of Egypt and some neighboring countries attributed to Abû Sâliḥ, the Armenian. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1895, P. 284, fol. 104b f. Various reprints, e. B. Piscataway: Gorgias Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0-9715986-7-6 .
  5. ↑Sauneron, Serge: Villes et légend d’Egypte (§ XXV-XXIX). In:Bulletin de l’Institut français d’archéologie orientale (BIFAO), ISSN0255-0962, Vol.67 (1969), Pp. 117-145, especially pp. 122, 131-135.
  6. ↑Pococke, Richard; Breyer, Johann Friedrich [arr.]; Windheim, Christian Ernst from [transl.]: Richard Pococke’s description of the Orient and some other countries; 1: From Egypt. gain: Walther, 1771 (2nd edition), P. 134 f., Panel XXVIII.
Usable articleThis is a useful article. There are still some places where information is missing. If you have something to add be brave and complete them.