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In this article, I will focus on Karnak Temple and Colossi of Memnon.

The Karnak Temple complex is viewed as part of an excursion to Luxor. In addition to the Karnak Temple complex, you may be allowed to observe the Luxor complex too. It's quite easy to distinguish them. In the Karnak complex, there is the "alley of sheep" at the entrance to the complex and the largest (probably) scarab beetle in Egypt have been preserved to this day. In addition to these main distinguishing features, there are many others, which I will talk about in more detail.

Luxor (in ancient Egypt it was called Thebes) is a fairly famous city. Many people may have heard about Karnak who went on an excursion to Luxor. Karnak was interesting to me from the point of view of a person interested in the history of Ancient Egypt.

This complex is actually so big that it looks like a small city. But in Ancient Egypt it was only a part of the ancient capital. Since the morning, buses with tourists have been gathering at the entrance to the complex.

So, Karnak and the Temple complex, as well as a few interesting historical moments and quite a bit of history.

The temple complex includes 33 temples (most of which are destroyed), but during the time of the New Kingdom - it was considered one of the largest temple complexes. Such pharaohs as Hatshepsut, Thutmose, Ramses and Ptolemy brought their contribution to Karnak. The famous battle of Kadesh (during the time of Ramses II) is also depicted on the walls of Karnak.

The center of the complex is the temple of the sun god Amona-Ra, located in the center of the complex. We are entering his territory.

One immediately remembers endless conversations about restoration work, especially about mistakes from the past, which, instead of strengthening, led to the destruction of a historical monument included in the corresponding UNESCO list.
Restoration works are carried out here without end.

The most impressive is 134 pillars in the form of huge colossi with hieroglyphs, 16 meters high. The number of columns was not accidental - there were only 134 pharaohs in Egypt. The hall with huge columns is named in honor of the great pharaoh - Seti I. Footage from the films about Ancient Egypt of "National Geographic" about the life of the pharaoh and the plots of the priests immediately flash before the eyes...

Hatshepsut also left a "note in history" about herself. Further we pass three and four pylons and see two obelisks. The first one that is closer is the obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut, and the next one is of Amenhotep 3.

The complex itself is magnificent, but you feel a little uncomfortable, like a midget. Everything is very big and pompous.
But it shocks how they could build something so great that it has come down to us through the ages.

Every 30th year of his reign, the pharaohs participated in the holiday of Heb-Sed. This ritual showed that the pharaoh is still strong and powerful and can pass all the tests and rituals inherent in this holiday. Ramses II - a great commander and conqueror, took part in 3 such holidays (if I remember correctly).

Another feature of the Karnak temple is a never-drying lake on its territory. Despite the constant heat, there is always the same level of water in it. It is not known whether the lake is somehow connected to the Nile or whether it is fed by groundwater.

The sacred lake is one of the ritual places where religious rituals and ablutions were held. Reading art literature, it is often written about this sacred lake that it possessed magical properties - it renewed the body and physical capabilities of the pharaoh.

Near the Sacred Lake, there is a huge scarab beetle. Guides often tell fables for tourists that if a woman walks 3 times around this scarab, she will get married or give birth to a child.Or that everyone can think of his biggest dream, walk around this beetle three times, and his wish will be fulfilled. Practically all tourists at least once make a circle around the scarab.

At the exit (or entrance) to the Temple complex, there is an alley of sphinxes with the body of a lion and the head of a ram. The sacred animal god Amon was almost always depicted with a ram's head. Unfortunately, the alley of sphinxes is not so well preserved, and it is difficult to find at least one completely intact sphinx in the alley...

Personally, for me, Egypt is very interesting with its ancient structures, which open the curtain to the interesting world of this country. Built too long ago, the history is already not presented to tourists in its original form. Years, natural cataclysms and the people themselves destroys the history. So is the Karnak temple complex. Until the 19th century, it was covered with sand. Its restoration attracted a lot of tourists from all corners of the globe. And they say that this is the most visited complex in the world.

On the other hand, there is an entrance to the temple of Ramses III, marked by two of his statues.

Restoration work is being carried out inside, so tourists are not allowed there. Here, the guide told us the story of the thirty wives of Ramses III. At first they were at war with each other, then they got tired of it, they united and killed their pharaoh so that the power passed to the son of one of them. And since then, the pharaohs of Egypt have never kept their wives in one place.

Sometimes the Karnak temple is called the Luxor temple, but these are 2 different temples, they are connected by a road with sphinxes, which is now being restored, but they look completely different.

The Karnak complex is one of the most visited places in Egypt, which history lovers should definitely visit! If you have the opportunity, I advise you to take an individual excursion to Luxor.

I recommend to everyone who is planning a trip to Hurghada to visit Luxor and try to mentally travel back many centuries to feel that Ancient Egypt!

Thus, we visited the oldest historical Karnak temple complex, touched the walls and mysteries of thousands of years ago. There, everything is really steeped in antiquity. I am sure that such an excursion will not leave a person indifferent, hardly anyone will regret visiting the temple of Karnak.

Lovers of history and interesting artifacts are welcome here. Even if the temple looks the half-ruined, there is something to see and even something to admire.

From here we sailed down the Nile for lunch. The boat already waited for us and sailed us to the restaurant on the hill.

As we continued our journey, we saw the Colossi of Memnon. The Colossi of Memnon is one of the must-see sights on an excursion to Luxor!

Usually, not so much time is allocated for viewing the statue, about 20 minutes. Interest in them will be more likely among lovers of the history of Ancient Egypt, since they were created in those distant times when the pharaohs ruled this great country - Egypt. How much the history of the creation will be interesting to you, I will not judge, since we are all different in our interests and hobbies. I will try to tell a little about the colossi of Memnon.

Two huge statues of pharaohs are striking in their size. In their background, even the mountains don't seem so big, and the tourists who take pictures seem like heroes of fairy tales about giants.

So all the same, what are the colossi of Memnon and what is the meaning of their construction? Memnon means "ruler of the dawn". Two huge statues of the pharaoh sitting on the throne were part of the burial complex of Amenhotep III, which, unfortunately, has not survived to our time. Not only the Temple, but also the colossi of Memnon suffered from the floods of the Nile. Two huge 20-meter statues each weighing more than 700 tons, were located at the entrance to the Temple, like two guards.

There is an opinion that the statues make a sound, someone called them "singing statues". Everything is explained very simply - heavily destroyed statues have many cracks. Air, getting into the cracks, if there is also a wind, a sound is formed. No mysticism or magic.

According to one version, the colossi of Memnon were also destroyed due to earthquakes. There is also another version according to which the colossi were destroyed on the orders of the Persian king Cambyses.

Luxor is still in demand and interest of tourists and travelers. On the banks of the Nile is the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Valley of the Kings, about which I will tell in another post. Even now, looking around Luxor, one can imagine what a great and powerful country it was in the Ancient Ages.