Karnak Temple – The World’s Largest Open-Air Museum

Karnak Temple in Luxor is both an interesting and photogenic archaeological site. There are so many things to discover here, and in fact, I saw a few people in the area still digging and brushing important stones/relics that could help them understand further the history of the country.

This is a vast open-air museum where broken pieces of structures, cracked walls, and missing parts of statues are ubiquitous. From north to south and east to west, you’ll be feasting on hieroglyphs that covered walls, columns, and altars. Statues of gods, goddesses, and pharaohs are in every corner, standing like proud guards of the temple. This is simply a place you won’t miss when visiting Egypt.

Karnak Temple in Luxor is dubbed the “World’s Largest Open-Air Museum.”

It is also the second-largest “Ancient Place of Worship”, behind Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

It is Egypt’s second most-visited tourist attraction, after the Pyramids in Giza.

Karnak Temple is dedicated to Pharaoh Amun, his wife Mut, and their son Khons, the moon god.

There are more than 25 temples and chapels on this massive archaeological site.

There are obelisks, too, but only two still stand the test of time.

There are about thirty Pharaohs who helped in building this immense temple.

This is the Sacred Lake within the expansive area.

The most photogenic place (and my favourite) here is the Hypostyle Hall.

It is a hall with 134 enormous columns filled with incredible hieroglyphs from sole to crown.

The highest pillar measures 70 feet tall and 40 feet around.

They’re beyond photogenic and spectacular!

They’re a fine example of Egyptian architecture and design.

In popular culture, the Temple of Karnak in Luxor graced Hollywood via Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The final battle of The Fallen, Optimus Prime, Starscream and Megatron happens in here at the Hypostyle Hall.

Remember Lara Croft? Karnak Temple appears in the video game The Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation for three levels.

In The Mummy Returns, you can’t reach the Scorpion King without passing through Karnak Temple.

It is also featured in “A Spy Who Loved Me,” a James Bond movie, of course! In June last year, there was a suicide attack just outside Karnak Temple.

How to Save Money and Time in Luxor

Luxor is an ancient city you have to explore and walk through while learning its history. Taking public transport in Luxor to tourist attractions will take you ages, so forget about it. I recommend that taking a tour saves you so much time.