Editing Karnak (section)

===Hypostyle Hall===
{{Main|Great Hypostyle Hall}}
[[File:Temple de Louxor 53.jpg|thumb|Open papyrus umbel capitals and architrave on the central columns of the Hypostyle Hall]]
The Great Hypostyle Hall in the Precinct of Amun-Re has an area of {{cvt|50000|sqft|m2|-3}} with 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows. One hundred and twenty-two of these columns are {{convert|10|m|ft}} tall, and the other 12 are {{convert|21|m|ft}} tall with a diameter of over {{convert|3|m|ft}}. The [[architrave]]s, on top of these columns, are estimated to weigh 70 tons.

These architraves may have been lifted to these heights using [[lever]]s. This would be a time-consuming process and also would require great balance to get to such heights. A common alternative theory regarding how they were moved is that large ramps were constructed of sand, mud, brick or stone and that the stones were then towed up the ramps. If stone had been used for the ramps, they would have been able to use much less material. The top of the ramps presumably would have employed either wooden tracks or cobblestones for towing the megaliths.

There is an unfinished pillar in an out-of-the-way location that indicates how it would have been finished. Final carving was executed after the drums were put in place so that it was not damaged while being placed.<ref>Egypt: Engineering an empire engineering feats</ref><ref>Lehner, Mark The Complete Pyramids, London: Thames and Hudson (1997) pp.202–225 {{ISBN|0-500-05084-8}}.</ref> Several experiments moving megaliths with ancient technology were made at other locations&nbsp;– some of which are amongst the [[List of largest monoliths|largest monoliths]] in the world.

The sun god's shrine was built so that it has light focused upon it during the [[winter solstice]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 December 2015 |title=Everything You Need to Know About the Winter Solstice |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/151221-winter-solstice-explained-pagans |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224013459/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/151221-winter-solstice-explained-pagans |archive-date=24 February 2021 |access-date=22 December 2022 |website=National Geographic |language=English }}</ref>

In 2009, [[UCLA]] launched a website dedicated to virtual reality digital reconstructions of the Karnak complex and other resources.<ref>"Ancient Egypt Brought To Life With Virtual Model Of Historic Temple Complex", Science Daily, 30 April 2009, retrieved 12 June 2009 [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090429172224.htm]</ref>