Avenue of the Sphinxes Karnak

The temple complex at Karnak is known for the Great Temple of Amun, the most important temple in Egypt from the 18th Dynasty onward. Within the Precinct of Amun (central enclosure) lies the Great Temple itself, and several subsidiary temples to other deities. A separate enclosure to the north of Amun is dedicated to Montu, the local god of Thebes. To the south of Amun lies the Precinct of Mut.

Avenues of ram-headed sphinxes (criosphinxes) lead to the enclosure of Amun from the west and south and define the two principal axes of the temple. Shown in this photo is the east-west avenue, looking east to the outermost pylon (Pylon I) closest to the viewer. Earlier pylons (II, III, etc) can be seen further down the avenue, leading east to the sanctuary of the Great Temple. Because Karnak was successively enlarged over the centuries, the innermost structures are the earliest and the outermost structures are the latest. Pylon I may have been built as late as the 30th Dynasty (380-343 BC).

If you are following this photo tour with a map, the basic sequence of photos is west to east until the center of the temple, then south to the sacred lake, then north again to the first pylon and back out the way we came.