The site of the Karnak Temples is an open natural museum of Ancient Egyptian history. It contains a mixture of the different architectural styles built by the kings who ruled the country from the Twelfth Dynasty until Greco-Roman times. Therefore, Karnak impresses the visitor with its magnificent buildings that cover a surface of more than 60 acres.

The site was called "Pr Imn," which means the "House of Amun." Then the name was changed to "Ipt iswt," which means "the most sacred of chosen places."