Temple · Luxor, Egypt
Karnak Temple
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (), comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Built c. 1901 BC.
Photo: René Hourdry via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Luxor, Egypt |
|---|---|
| Type | Temple |
| Built | c. 1901 BC |
| Area | Area: 4.436 km² |
| Coordinates | 25.7183° N, 32.6583° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Karnak Temple is known for
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (), comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt.
About Karnak Temple
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (), comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt. Construction at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I (reigned 1971–1926 BCE) in the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000–1700 BC) and continued into the Ptolemaic Kingdom (305–30 BCE), although most of the extant buildings date from the New Kingdom.
History
The history of the Karnak complex is largely the history of Thebes and its changing role in the culture. Religious centers varied by region, and when a new capital of the unified culture was established, the religious centers in that area gained prominence. The city of Thebes does not appear to have been of great significance before the Eleventh Dynasty and previous temple building there would have been relatively small, with shrines being dedicated to the early deities of Thebes, the Earth goddess Mut and Montu.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Luxor |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Luxor International Airport (LXR) |
| Distance from the airport | 4.0 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Luxor International Airport (LXR) · Luxor, Egypt · 4.4 miles away
- Suhaj International Airport (HMB) · Suhaj, Egypt · 71.3 miles away
- Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF) · Marsa Alam, Egypt · 121.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Egypt
More temples
Frequently asked questions
What is Karnak Temple?
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak (), comprises a vast mix of temples, pylons, chapels, and other buildings near Luxor, Egypt.
Where is Karnak Temple located?
Karnak Temple is in Luxor, Egypt. Its coordinates are 25.7183° N, 32.6583° E.
How do I get to Karnak Temple?
The nearest town is Luxor, and the nearest airport is Luxor International Airport (LXR), about 4.0 miles away (straight line).
When was Karnak Temple built?
Karnak Temple was built c. 1901 BC.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karnak — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q522862 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.