What is the meaning of "massed" and "ranks" in this sentence given below?

"Every day, massed ranks of tourists pass slowly through the rooms of the palace"

My opinion:---

Here,
Massed means " many"
Ranks means " lines/rows" or "group"

Thanks in advance.

Question

What is the meaning of "massed" and "ranks" in this sentence given below?

"Every day, massed ranks of tourists pass slowly through the rooms of the palace"

My opinion:--->

Here, 
Massed means " many" 
Ranks means    " lines/rows" or "group"

Thanks in advance.

Answer

You are correct. Beyond that, the words connote a (in this case, figurative / metaphorical) military context. That is, the author seems to be suggesting a comparison of the tourists to an invading army.