Karnak, village (1986 pop. 20,842), central Egypt, on the Nile. It is 1 mi (1.6 km) NE of Luxor and occupies part of the site of Thebes. Remains of the pharaohs abound at Karnak. Most notable is the Great Temple of Amon. Although there was an older foundation, the temple was largely conceived and accomplished in the XVIII dynasty, and it is often considered the finest example of New Empire religious architecture. The temple grounds extend about 1,000 ft (300 m). The western half comprises a vast court and the great hypostyle hall (388 ft by 170 ft/118 m by 52 m), with 134 columns arranged in 16 rows. The eastern half is a complex of halls and shrines, many of the Middle Kingdom. There are smaller temples at Karnak dedicated to Mut and to Khensu, wife and son respectively of Amon.

Village, Upper Egypt. Its name has been given to the northern part of the ruins of Thebes on the Nile River's eastern bank (the southern part is called Luxor). Among its many religious buildings stood the largest of all Egyptian temples, the Temple of Amon. Itself a complex of temples, added to and altered many times, it reflects the fluctuating fortunes of the Egyptian empire. There are no fewer than 10 pylons, separated by courts and halls. The most striking feature is the vast hypostyle hall commissioned by Ramses I (r. 1292–90 BC), with an area of some 54,000 sq ft (5,000 sq m). Twelve enormous columns, some 80 ft (24 m) high, raised the roofing slabs of the central aisle to produce a clerestory. Karnak is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site (designated 1979) centred on Thebes.

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