Name: Visitors watch sun align with ancient Luxor temple on winter solstice
Uploaded: 2025-12-22T15:56:20.114Z
Duration: 1 min 30 s
Description: The sunrise lines up perfectly with the walls of the Temple of Amun-Re at Karnak each year on December 21.

The sunrise lines up perfectly with the walls of the Temple of Amun-Re at Karnak each year on December 21.

Luxor

Hundreds of visitors assembled in Luxor, Egypt, to witness the sunrise align with the axis of the ancient Karnak temple during the winter solstice. The event, which occurs annually on December 21st, marks the shortest day of the year and is celebrated for its cultural and historical significance.

The Karnak temple complex, completed over 2,000 years ago and dedicated to several ancient Egyptian gods, is illuminated by the sun's rays during this alignment. The phenomenon signals the arrival of winter and the start of the ancient Egyptian planting season, attracting both tourists and locals to the historic site.

Visitors watch sun align with ancient Luxor temple on winter solstice

Hundreds of visitors to the Egyptian city of Luxor woke up at dawn on Sunday to watch the sunrise line up with the axis of an ancient temple for the winter solstice. Many were overwhelmed by the experience as the first rays of golden sunlight pierced through the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak. I like it, it's a fantastic morning here, we really enjoyed the show we saw and it was really nice to see the sun, the rise of the sun this morning here and this is the first day so we're expecting to see so much. I feel a specific energy here and I'm so happy, I feel like just reborn, fulfilled my heart, my spirit, my life. The sunrise lines up perfectly with the temple walls on December 21st, the shortest day of the year. The Karnak site was completed over 2,000 years ago. It houses temples dedicated to several ancient Egyptian gods like Amun-Re, Ptah and Osiris. The sun rays illuminate the holy of holies in the historic and unique Karnak temples on December 21st of each year, heralding the arrival of winter and the beginning of planting season for the ancient Egyptians. Luxor sits on the banks of the Nile River. It is home to some of Egypt's most famous ancient temples and pharaonic tombs, including that of King Tutankhamen.

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