If you’ve ever seen Agatha Christie’s movie Death on the Nile, you have glimpsed Karnak. In one scene, the young, headstrong heiress narrowly escaped getting crushed by a block of limestone that was pushed from above.

This is also the site of some very important scenes in book three of the Facetakers.

Colossal Karnak is by far my favorite ancient Egyptian site. Why? The sheer size, the artwork, ancient statues of Rameses II, the obelisks.

Most people interested in Egypt have heard of Luxor and Karnak.  Sometimes the temples are mixed up in movies, but while Luxor temple is lovely, Karnak is amazing. It is dedicated to Amun-Ra, the sun god.

Here is where we see the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes leading away from the temple. They once lined a path that stretched all the way to the Luxor temple.  Here are obelisks, colossal statues of Rameses with Nefertari by his side, and 7 pylons or massive entry gates.  This is the famous hypostyle hall of with 134 carved columns.

Our guide, Aladdin, told us Karnak is so big—123 acres– because the construction continued over 2,300 years.  So every new Pharaoh added his or her touch, sometimes erasing the name of previous pharaohs and replacing it with his own.  (A common practice)

Seti I, Rameses II, Seti II, Rameses III, and female pharaoh Hatshepsut all built here, and so did Philip Arrhidaeus, half-brother of Alexander the Great.

Huge statues of Rameses II dominate the temple; one of them 50 feet tall with his queen at his feet. 

Our parting gift from Karnak: the red desert sun setting over its sandy walls, creating a rosy glow over the magnificent site.