An 1838 colored lithograph of the Great Hypostyle Hall of the Precinct of Amun-Re, the largest of the four main enclosed areas of Karnak, a complex of ruins near the city of Luxor, Egypt. The site is a vast open-air museum and the largest ancient religious site in the world. Construction of temples started in the Middle Kingdom and continued through to Ptolemaic times. Approximately thirty pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach a size, complexity, and diversity not seen elsewhere. Hypostyle Hall contains 134 massive columns arranged in 16 rows, with some of the columns reaching 21 m (69 ft) tall and up to 3 m (9.8 ft) in diameter.Artist: David Roberts & Louis Hahge; Restoration: Lise Broer