The Temple Luxor

The Temple Luxor

The temple of Luxor is located on the East bank of the Nile.  It used to be the center of Egyptian culture and it was located in Egypt’s ancient capital—Thebes.  Though the temple has managed to survive weathering and vandalism, it has revealed memories of many pharaohs that tried to leave a lasting mark.

Of the many pharaohs that left a lasting mark there were a few prominent pharaohs that did most of the alterations.  Those pharaohs were Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, and Ramses II.  All tried to surpass one another in the hope that the world would remember them.  Most of their activities were recorded through statues, inscriptions, carvings or hieroglyphics. 

The temple itself was actually designed and dedicated for three Gods named Amun-re, Mut, and Khonsu.  These three gods are also known as the Theban triad.

Most of the temples monuments and statues are now Ramses II.  Because he was one of the last pharaohs to alter the temple, most of what is left represents him and his reign. For example, as tourists enter the temple a large pylon is present.  It was constructed for Ramses II. Another example would be the two statues that depict him sitting at the entrance.  There Ramses II can be seen wearing a crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. 

The courtyard also showcases the pharaoh as well.  He is seen standing between closed papyrus-bud columns. 

The first pharaoh to make any changes to the temple was Amenophis III, or better known as Amenhotep III.  During his reign he started construction on the court and colonnade but never finished the work.  He died and his son Akhenaten made more changes.

Akhenaten altered the temple during the New Kingdom (18th Dynasty) due to radical religious beliefs.  During this period, Akhenaten overthrew the teachings of Amun-re and neglected the temple.  As a result, the temple become damaged and was not maintained very well.  It was not restored until his son Tutankhamun came into power.

After the death of Tutankhamun, it is believed that Horemheb destroyed anything that associated Tutankhamun to his father.  This meant making more alterations to the temple.

Though the pharaohs had a heavy hand in changing the temples, modern people have also contributed to this change.  At one time the entrance of the temple had two obelisks.  One was removed and sent to Concorde in Paris.  There it stands and has remained there since 1836.

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The Temple of Dendera

The Temple of Dendera

Though the temple of Dendera is not as popular as other temples in Egypt, it still has the magic to attract visitors from all over the world. This temple is located in the countryside north of Luxor. It’s about an hour drive from Karnak and Luxor.

It was dedicated to the goddess Hathor but was never finished. The temple at one time was hidden by sand but was cleared during the 1800s. It also sits among other monuments but most of those are from the Greco-Roman Period.

Unlike other typical Egyptian temples, this temple was a Greco-Roman Temple. This meant that much of the temple had influences by Greece and Rome. It now sits on the edge of the desert and has managed to stay intact. In fact, this temple is probably one of the best preserved temples in Egypt.

The construction of the temple can be mainly attributed to one of the Ptolemaic kings. It’s believed this temple was rebuilt over an existing temple that dated back to the Middle Kingdom. It was then continually modified under the Ptolemaic kings, and finally completed during the Roman times.

An example of roman influences would be the sunken relief carvings of Cleopatra VII. They date back to the Ptolemaic Period. On the western side of the temple and on the south wall, Cleopatra VII and her son Caesarion can be seen. There Cleopatra VII stands in customary Egyptian rankings with her co-regent by her side (Caesarion). Though the temple had lots of influences from the Romans, its architecture was Egyptian. For example, the pylon had slanted walls and corners that were curved. The outward-curing cavetto, a bracket around the walls, was done in classic design. It also had two birth houses, a Coptic Basilica, sanitarium, a sacred lake, and a temple to Isis.  

This temple holds several hidden crypts. The crypts can be entered through small openings and tourists can visit these vaults. . They can be found towards the eastern, southern, and western sides of the temple. 

At one time these crypts may have been used to house treasures or hold ritual equipment. Each room is small so the likely hood of performing rituals inside crypts is probably not likely. Many of the walls are plain and some are carved and decorated.

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Karnak

Karnak

The temple of Karnak is a monument made by many pharaohs. The temple itself was mainly dedicated to the god Amun. Located on the east bank of Thebes, the temple’s construction began around the early Middle Kingdom and continued through the New Kingdom. As each pharaoh succeeded the throne they continually added buildings, statues, and temples. The temple grew outward and became a series of many temples that were combined.

A major characteristic of Karnak is the avenue of the ram-headed sphinxes. These sphinxes were sacred to Amun and the pharaohs placed them there to symbolize their protection. The sphinxes lead to the entrance of two main entrances—east and west.

Inside the temple and located towards the center, a scared lake was located on each wing of the temple. The lakes represented creation and were believed to be used by priests who would perform rituals. The biggest of the two lakes was dug by Tuthmosis III and was done is a rectangle. It is one of the most well preserved lakes to date.

The temple’s main attraction is the columns located in the Great Hypostyle Hall. There are a total of 134 columns. The central nave is held up by 12 columns which are 70 ft tall and have a diameter of 18 feet. The columns gave clues as to how the temple functioned through inscriptions and carvings.

Another noticeable trait is the pylons. The pylons are massive gateways that define the approach of the entrance. The temple has ten and they are often referred to the First Pylon (Nectanebo I), Second Pylon (19th Dynasty), Third Pylon (Amenhotep III), Fourth Pylon (Thutmose I), Fifth Pylon (Thutmose I), Sixth Pylon (Thutmose III), Seventh Pylon (Thutmose III), Eight Pylon (Hapshepsut), Ninth Pylon (Horemheb) and the Tenth Pylon (Horemheb) .

 The temple is broken down into four major parts, the Precinct of Amun-Re, the Precinct of Montu, the Precinct of Mut, and the Temple of Amenhotep IV.

Precinct of Amun-Re: The Precinct of Amun-Re is the largest part of the temple. It is the only section open to the public. This section is so large that it holds many buildings and temples. In this section visitors can see the Pylons, the Memorial Temple of Thutmose III, Sacred Lake, Enclosusre Wall of the Percent of Amun, Temple of Path, and the Temple of the Healing Ear. These are just a few of the many monuments that can be found inside this precinct.

Precinct of Montu: This precinct housed the Temple of Montu, the Temple of Harpe, and the Temple of Maat. It is closed to the public and a gateway constructed by Ptolemy III and Ptolemy IV is the most noticeable formation inside this precinct.

Precinct of Mut: This precinct holds the other scared lake that is shaped like a U. It houses the temple of Ramesses III, the temple of Mut, and the temple of Khonspekhrod. Other smaller structures and shrines can be seen there as well; however, most of what remains in that section has been destroyed.

Temple of Amenhotep IV: This precinct was done by Akhenaten and was located to the east of Karnak. Because Akhenaten brought so many radical changes in his time which were not favorably to his subjects, much of what was constructed in this precinct was destroyed and now a majority of its design is unknown.

  The temple of Karnack remains a high point of interest to tourists. It has so many things to see and it’s highly advised you do research before entering the temple. 

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Deir el-Bahri

Deir el-Bahri

Deir el-Bahri is located on the west bank of the Nile River. There it sits greeting spectators as they enter the Valley of the Kings. The site is comprised of three temples, the Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Mortuary Temple of Thutmoses III. Of all the temples present, the most viewed and admired is that of Hatshepsut.

Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II is called Akh Sut Nebhepetra, which means, “Splendid are the places of Nebhepetre.” This temple is the best preserved structure of the Early Middle Kingdom and it sits southwest of Hatshepsut’s Temple.

The temple of Mentuhotep II is recognized as one of the first temples in Thebes. Because of this it has undergone many excavations. This temple was excavated by the Egypt Exploration Fund, by the Metropolitan Museum, and by German archeologists.

This temple was once believed to have had a pyramid and is one of Egypt’s more popular sites. Hatshepsut's temple is centered at the bottom of surrounding cliffs. The appearance is dramatic and the temple is architecturally supreme.

The temple complex is known as Djeser-Djeseru meaning "the sublime of sublimes.” It was drafted and constructed by her architect Senemut. The temple was done to honor Amun, but other gods were honored there as well. The site consists of colonnaded terraces and ramps that lead to each tier of the temple. These ramps were once believed to have gardens. The total height is of this temple is 97 feet tall.

  Though not as prominent as Mentuhotep II’s and Hatshepsut’s temples, Thutmose III built a temple complex there too. His temple was dedicated to Amun. The temple was abandoned after it was damaged by a land-slide.

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Abu Simbel

When you see images of Ancient Egypt in print one image is often shown regularly—the temples known as Abu Simbel. This site is a popular tourist attraction and remains a popular destination. Thousands of visitors eagerly travel to see the two temples with the four giant figures of Ramses the Great seated at the entrance (The Great Temple of Ramses II) and the grand temple dedicated to his favorite queen— Nefertari (Temple of Hathor/Temple of Nefertari).

Relocation of Abu Simbel

Though the temples have remained in rather good standing, the Temple of Ramses was not built upon the site it sits today; rather it was moved from its original location to avoid being submerged underwater. The temple was relocated because water was needed for the Egyptian people and the county was forced to make a difficult choice. Rather than let the lake (Lake Nasser) swallow the temple upon the construction of the new damn it was decided it should be elevated roughly 200 feet and moved away from the river roughly 650 feet. Had this relocation not been funded, Lake Nasser would have swallowed this treasure.

The Egyptian government financed the removal of the temples in 1964 for $40 million and it was cut into large blocks. The blocks were reassembled and joined together with many engineers and archeologists. Today, there is very little evidence of this move and now it is safe and enjoyed by many tourists. The only lingering evidence of relocation is seen upon entering the temple.

The Discovery of the Temples

The temple was discovered by accident. In 1813, J. L. Burckhardt found the temple of Ramses II as he was preparing to leave the area. He spotted the front of the temple covered in sand and he had the rubble removed. After the temple was unearthed it soon became a high destination site for Victorians and tourists.

Constriction of the Temples

It appears that Ramses II began construction during the fifth year of his rule. During his reign, the temple was referred to as Hwt Ramesses Meryamun, which literally means Temple of Ramses beloved of Amun. Even by today’s standards the temple appears to have been constructed very extravagantly. Ramses had four large statues depicting him. Each statue is 67 feet high and he can be seen wearing the double crown (The crown of Upper and Lower Egypt). Shown to the side of each statute and on the throne are Nile gods unifying Egypt.

The hall inside the temple is a sight to see. It contains eight large statues of Osiris, four on each side. These large statues help to hold this massive temple up. The walls are decorated as well. They show the king at war during the battle of Kadesh presenting captives as offerings to the gods. This temple was designed to accommodate the sun. The axis was arranged in such a way that on two days of the year the sun’s rays enter the hall and illuminate the eight God’s of Osiris.

The other temple constructed by Ramses II for Nefertari is just as grand. It was dedicated to her and the Goddess Hathor. This temple is remarkable for the fact that it is one of only two temples known in

Egyptian history constructed for a queen. Unlike the pharaohs before Ramses II, most often a queen was shown as a smaller sized being and not hyped like the pharaoh. In the temple dedicated to Nefertari, she is equal in size and many Egyptologists believe this shows how much Ramses II admired his wife and his acknowledgement of her importance in his empire.

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