The most spectacular–and hardest to capture fully in photographs– element of Karnak is the Great Hypostyle Hall, built in the 12th century BC. The hall covers an area 54,000 square feet. It is an ancient colossus: it consist of 134 huge pillars arranged in 6 rows. Some of the pillars are 33 feet in circumference and nearly 80 feet tall. It used to hold up a roof which has long since collapsed. The Hypostyle Hall is the collective work of many pharaohs: designed by Hatshepsut, built by Seti, with further decorations being added by Ramesses II, IV, and V. The pillars are all elaborately (and quite deeply) carved with hieroglyphics. The deep carvings were an attempt to protect one’s legacy– since they were much harder for the next pharaoh to change to sing his own praises…
I’ll let the photos speak for themselves:
