Wonders of the world: Karnak

                                                                                         

Karnak is a complex of temples, pylons and ruins in the Upper Egypt, north of Luxor. Its the largest religious complex in the world – a huge construction, no less great than the Giza pyramids. This great conglomeration of buildings was erected without any definite plan.

It took two thousand years to build the Karnak temples – from generation to generation, pharaoh to pharaoh. Even though a great part of it was destroyed, what was saved is of great importance for historians. Its one of the biggest ancient architectural conglomerations on earth. Some of its constructions were dismantled by the pharaohs's followers and then used as building material for some other constructions. The complex was dedicated to Amun-Re, who became the chief Egyptian god after Thebes got the status of the country's capital, that is why the principal precinct of Karnak is called the Precinct of Amun-Re. There are other temples within the complex, but this one is the largest and the longest. The temple contains 10 pylons, 6 along the main entrance, from west to east. A fantasic view it is: huge halls, inner yards and sanctuaries enchant everyone who looks inside.

But cross the threshold, and you will find yourself surrounded with the chaos of buildings, bearings, obelisks, inscriptions and bas-reliefes, all more than 2 thousand years old. The Great Hypostile Hall is thought to had been used for events and performances. The hall used to be really big, and a great number of columns – 134, each decorated with religious symbols - supported its ceiling. Along with being high, these columns are also really thick – 6 people altogether can embrace one column. The hall was built by Seti I, the Pharaoh of the Nineteenth dynasty of Egypt, mentioned in the Old Testament. Despite its huge size, you won't get the feeling of oppression or meanness. Instead it creates the feeling of respect and stateliness, and even though you feel tiny, this place is not hostile. There is no doubt that the temple's architecs and builders wanted to fill the Egyptians with the reverent fear of Gods. But they also wanted to make the hall harmonious. Its an important peculiarity of the Egyptian world-view: everything and everyone in this world has its own place.

The hall's outer walls are covered with decorations that tell the story of the victorious fights and the trophies the Egyptian kings won. Such bas reliefs are also found at other parts of the temple and, along with the Pharaohs' chronicles, they are an important source of historical knowledge. That is from where we take the great part of information about Egypt and the other countries. In the middle of the hall, between the 4th and 5th Pylon, there stands one of the world's greatest obelisks – the 39-meter red granite monolith. Its companion has not standed the time and its ruins lie around. These monuments were built for the Foremost of Noble Ladies, the fifth pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut, who became a ruler circa 1479 BC.

Nowadays archaeologists and historians are still researching the site, trying to reproduce its story and its looks.

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