Luxor Temple, from the east bank of the Nile

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes). Luxor Temple General view of front end, from the corniche Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Luxor Temple General view of front end, from the corniche Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Ancient Egypt was a civilization located along the Lower Nile, reaching from the Nile Delta in the north to as far south as Jebel Barkal at the time of its greatest extension (15th century BC). ... For alternative meanings of Nile, see Nile (disambiguation) The Nile (Arabic: النيل an-nīl), in Africa, is one of the two longest rivers on Earth. ... The River Nile at Luxor Pharaonic statue in Luxor Temple Hot-air ballooning in Luxor Luxor (Arabic: الأقصر ) is a city in Upper (southern) Egypt and the capital of the Al Uqsur governorate, population approximately 200,000. ... For the ancient capital of Boeotia, see Thebes, Greece. ...

Known in the Egyptian language as ipet resyt, or "the southern harem", the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Chons and was, during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple (ipet-isut) to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility – whence its name. Ebers Papyrus detailing treatment of asthma. ... Egyptian mythology or Egyptian religion is the succession of tentative beliefs held by the people of Egypt for over three thousand years, prior to major exposure to Christianity and Islam. ... Amun (also spelt Amon, Amoun, Amen, and rarely Imenand, and spelt in Greek as Ammon, and Hammon) was the name of a deity, in Egyptian mythology, who gradually rose to become one of the most important, before disappearing back into the shadows. ... In Egyptian mythology, Mut (mother) is the patron goddess of Thebes. ... Chons In Egyptian mythology, Chons (alternately Khensu, Khons, Khonsu or Khonshu) is an ancient lunar deity, from before formal structure was given to a pantheon. ... The New Kingdom is the period in Egyptian history between the 16th century BCE and the 11th century BCE, covering the Eighteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Dynasties of Egypt. ... The Beautiful Feast of Opet (or Opet Festival) was an Ancient Egyptian festival, celebrated annually in Thebes, during the New Kingdom period and later. ... Obelisk at Karnak temple El-Karnak is a small village in Egypt, located on the banks of the River Nile some 2. ...

History

3400 years later, he still watches over the temple he built to his gods

Construction work on the temple began during the reign of Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC. Horemheb and Tutankhamun added columns, statues, and friezes – and Akhenaten had earlier obliterated his father's cartouches and installed a shrine to the Aten – but the only major expansion effort took place under Ramesses II some 100 years after the first stones were put in place. Luxor is thus unique among the main Egyptian temple complexes in having only two pharaohs leave their mark on its architectural structure. Download high resolution version (480x640, 51 KB)Luxor Temple Pharaonic statue Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Download high resolution version (480x640, 51 KB)Luxor Temple Pharaonic statue Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... nomen or birth name Nebmaatre Amenhotep III (called Nibmu(`w)areya in the Amarna letters) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty. ... // Overview Events 1344 BCE – 1322 BCE -- Beginning of Hittite empire Rise of the Urnfield culture Significant persons Akhenaten, Pharaoh of Egypt Tutankhamun, Pharaoh of Egypt Suppiliulima, king of the Hittites Moses Inventions, discoveries, introductions Template:DecadesAndYearsBCE Category: ‪14th century BCE‬ ... nomen or birth name Djeserkheperure Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypts 18th Dynasty from 1321 BC to early 1292 BC. Horemheb came from Herakleopolis Magna near the entrance to the Fayum. ... A portrait of the young Tutankhamun by Winifred Brunton. ... Bust of Pharaoh Akhenaten. ... A cartouche, in Egyptian hieroglyphs, is an oblong enclosure with a vertical line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty with pharao Sneferu. ... Aten is a creator of the universe in ancient Egyptian mythology, usually regarded as a sun god represented by the suns disk. ... nomen or birth name Ramesses II, Abu Simbel Ramesses II (also known as Ramesses the Great and alternatively transcribed as Ramses and Rameses) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the nineteenth dynasty. ... Pharaoh (Arabic فرعون ) (Hebrew פַּרְעֹה ); is a title used to refer to the kings (of godly status) in ancient Egypt. ...

The temple fell into disrepair during the Late Period and Alexander the Great claims to have undertaken major reconstruction work "to restore it to the glory of Amenhotep's times" in the 320s BC. During Rome's domination of Egypt it was converted into a centre for the imperial cult. By the time of the Arab conquest, the temple was largely buried underneath accumulated river silt, to the extent that the Mosque of Abu Haggag was built on top of it in the 13th century (much reworked since, but one of the minarets dates back to the original construction). Alexander the Great (in Greek , transliterated Megas Alexandros) (Alexander III of Macedon) was born in Pella, Macedon, in July, 356 BC, died in Babylon, on June 10, 323 BC, King of Macedon 336–323 BC, is considered one of the most successful military commanders in world history (if not the... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC - 320s BC - 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC Years: 329 BC 328 BC 327 BC 326 BC 325 BC 324 BC 323 BC 322 BC... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ... From the initial Islamic invasion in 639 CE Egypt became part of the Arab world. ... The Mosque of Abu Haggag is a mosque located in the Egyptian city of Luxor. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Minarets (Arabic manara منارة, but more usually مئذنة) are distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques. ...

Image from the temple at Luxor, showing Amenhotep III's vanity in depicting his wife as Neith, who was the mother of Ra, king of heaven, but remained permanently a pure virgin. The four panels depict, in order: 1-Thoth announcing to Neith that she would become pregnant. 2-Kneph and Hathor causing Neith to become pregnant via an ankh. 3-The birth, over a birth brick, of Ra (representing Akhenaten). 4-The adoration of Ra by the gods and the courtiers.

Image from the temple at Luxor, depicting Amenhotep III applying to his own human wife the legend of Thoth announcing to Neith (the primordial waters) that she would become pregnant with Ra (the king of heaven), the actual impregnation delivered by Kneph and Hathor via the ankh, leaving Neith ever... Neith In Egyptian mythology, Neith (also known as Nit, Net and Neit) was a psychopomp, a goddess of war and the hunt and the patron deity of Sais, in the Western Delta. ... , , or This article is about the Egyptian god. ... Thoth (Ramesseum, Luxor) In Egyptian mythology, Thoth (also spelt Thot or Thout), pronounced tot, is the Greek name given to Djehuty (also spelt Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu, Tetu) - the original pronunciation of his name is disputed, and may have been approximately Tee-HOW-ti -, who was originally the deification of... Kneph was an Egyptian god who was originally the supreme god for people at Elephantine. ... Statue of Hathor (Luxor Museum) In Egyptian mythology, Hathor (Egyptian for house of Horus) was originally a personification of the Milky Way, which was seen as the milk that flowed from the udders of a heavenly cow. ... The ankh (pronounced ahnk, symbol ) was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that stood for the word , which means life. ... Bust of Pharaoh Akhenaten. ...

Description

Hundreds of sphinxes once lined the road to nearby Karnak

The massive First Pylon

Islamic mosque over pharaonic temple

Amenhotep's colonnade from the peristyle court

Access to the temple was – and still is, for the thousands of tourists who flock there every day – from the north, where a causeway lined by sphinxes that once led all the way to Karnak begins; this road was a later addition, dating from the time of Nectanebo I in the 30th Dynasty. Luxor Temple Allée des sphinxes Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Luxor Temple Allée des sphinxes Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... LuxorTemple The First Pylon – seated statues of Ramses II, obelisk Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... LuxorTemple The First Pylon – seated statues of Ramses II, obelisk Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Download high resolution version (480x639, 49 KB)Luxor Temple The Mosque of Abu Haggag perched improbably above the first peristyle court. ... Download high resolution version (480x639, 49 KB)Luxor Temple The Mosque of Abu Haggag perched improbably above the first peristyle court. ... Luxor Temple Processional colonnade seen from the peristyle courtyard ofAmenophis III Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... Luxor Temple Processional colonnade seen from the peristyle courtyard ofAmenophis III Photo taken by Hajor, Dec. ... The Great Sphinx of Giza, with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background. ... Obelisk at Karnak temple El-Karnak is a small village in Egypt, located on the banks of the River Nile some 2. ... Nectanabo Kheperkara (or more properly Nekhtnebef) was a pharaoh of the Thirtieth dynasty of Egypt. ...

The temple proper begins with the 24-metre high First Pylon, built by Ramesses II. The pylon was decorated with scenes of Ramesses's military triumphs (particularly the Battle of Qadesh); later pharaohs, particularly those of the Nubian and Ethiopian dynasties, also recorded their victories there. This main entrance to the temple complex was originally flanked by six colossal statues of Ramesses – four seated, and two standing – but only two (both seated) have survived. Modern visitors can also see a 25-metre tall pink granite obelisk: this one of a matching pair until 1835, when the other one was taken to Paris where it now stands in the centre of the Place de la Concorde. Pylon is the Greek term for a monumental gate or door built in front of an Egyptian temple. ... nomen or birth name Ramesses II, Abu Simbel Ramesses II (also known as Ramesses the Great and alternatively transcribed as Ramses and Rameses) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the nineteenth dynasty. ... For pylons of overhead lines, see Electricity pylon Pylon Noun from Greek πυλώνας gateway tower like structure, usually one of a series, used to support high voltage electricity cables. ... The Hittite (red) and Egypt (green) spheres of influence overlapped at Kadesh The Battle of Kadesh (also spelled Qadesh) took place between Egypt and the Hittite forces of Muwatallis, on the Orontes River, during the reign of Ramesses II (1304 – 1237 BC). ... Today Nubia is the region in the south of Egypt, along the Nile and in northern Sudan, but in ancient times it was an independent kingdom. ... The Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris An obelisk is a tall, thin, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramidal top. ... The Eiffel Tower, the tallest structure in Paris, is an international symbol of the city. ... The Place de la Concorde seen from the Pont de la Concorde; in front, the Obelisk, behind, the Rue Royale and the Church of the Madeleine; on the left, the Hôtel de Crillon. ...

Through the pylon gateway leads into a peristyle courtyard, also built by Ramesses II. This area, and the pylon, were built at an oblique angle to the rest of the temple, presumably to accommodate the three pre-existing barque shrines located in the northwest corner. It is atop the columns of this courtyard that the Abu Haggag mosque was built: on the eastern side, a doorway leads surrealistically out into thin air some 8 metres above the ground. Deconstructing a Roman pillar. ... Yeni Camii (the New Mosque), one of the landmarks of Ä°stanbul A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

After the peristyle courtyard comes the processional colonnade built by Amenhotep III – a 100-metre corridor lined by 14 papyrus-capital columns. Friezes on the wall describe the stages in the Opet Festival, from sacrifices at Karnak at the top left, through Ammon's arrival at Luxor at the end of that wall, and concluding with his return on the opposite side. The decorations were put in place by Tutankhamun: the boy pharaoh is depicted, but his names have been replaced with those of Horemheb. Papyrus plant Cyperus papyrus at Kew Gardens, London Papyrus is an early form of paper made from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that grows to 5 meters (15 ft) in height and was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt. ... A capital of the Composite order In Western architecture, the capital (from the Latin caput, head) forms the crowning member of the column, which projects on each side as it rises, in order to support the abacus and unite the square form of the latter with the circular shaft. ... Frieze of the Tower of the Winds. ... A portrait of the young Tutankhamun by Winifred Brunton. ... nomen or birth name Djeserkheperure Horemheb was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypts 18th Dynasty from 1321 BC to early 1292 BC. Horemheb came from Herakleopolis Magna near the entrance to the Fayum. ...

Beyond the colonnade is a peristyle courtyard, which also dates back to Amenhotep's original construction. The best preserved columns are on the eastern side, where some traces of original colour can be seen. The southern side of this courtyard is made up of a 32-column hypostyle court that leads into the inner sanctums of the temple.

These begin with a dark antechamber. Of particular interest here are the Roman stuccoes than can still be seen atop the Egyptian carvings below; in Roman times this area served as a chapel, where local Christians were offered a final opportunity to renounce their faith and embrace the state religion. Moving further in stands a Barque Shrine for use by Amun, built by Alexander, with the final area being the private quarters of the gods and the Birth Shrine of Amenhotep III (his divine origin is depicted in precise, almost touching detail on the walls). A smaller room serving as an entryway into a larger room. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

A cache of 26 New Kingdom statues was found under the floor in the inner sanctum area in 1989 – hidden away by pious priests, presumably, at some moment of internal upheaval or invasion. These splendid pieces are now on display at the nearby Luxor Museum. Luxor Museum Luxor Museum is located in the Egyptian city of Luxor (ancient Thebes). ...