60% of restoration of Great Pillar Hall of Karnak Temple completed

CAIRO – 2 August 2021: The restoration team from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in cooperation with a number of graduates of the restoration departments of Luxor and South Valley Universities as well as the Institute of Restoration in Luxor, has completed nearly 60 percent of the restoration work of the first column in the Great Pillar Hall in Karnak Temple. 

Restoration work is being completed for the rest of the columns, successively.

This was stated by Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mustafa Waziri, who explained that the ongoing restoration work in the Great Pillar Hall at Karnak Temple will include the restoration of the pillars in the form of an open papyrus flower as a first stage, then the rest of the columns as a second stage. This comes in preparation for the imminent opening of the Kebbash Road [Rams Road] development project in a major celebration.

Part of the restoration works - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

Regarding the restoration work at Karnak Temple, Gharib Sonbol, a consultant for conservation and restoration at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, indicated that the process includes the Great Pillar Hall, where work is now underway to remove dust and treat the effects of erosion factors on 134 columns, each of which is about 20 meters high. This is in addition to restoring the decorations and hieroglyphic writings. Sonbol further pointed out that the restoration work also includes the statue of King Thutmose II located in the eighth edifice of Karnak Temple.

Part of the restoration works - Min. of Tourism & Antiquities

The consultant also added that a project to restore the Pillared Hall in Luxor Temple is also underway, stressing that the works in the two temples are based on accurate scientific studies carried out by the work team to find out the most appropriate methods of restoration that are commensurate with the current state of the antiquity, and are consistent with the scientific foundations approved by international conventions.