On the East bank of the River Nile, Karnak, called by the greeks "Thebes", was the capital of Egypt for some 1500 years. It is the largest temple complex in ancient Egypt, comprising statues, obelisks, pillars and carvings.

In Egyptian Mythology the carved pillars were palm trees from the island where life began.

It is a vast open air museum, the second largest religious site in the world and a UNESCO world heritage site.