On the evening of our arrival the tour guide took us to see the Luxor Temple. Luxor sits on the east bank of the Nile in an area that was ancient Thebes. Historically Thebes was recognized as the capital of the known world.
We arrived near sundown at the Luxor Temple. Upon arriving we were greeted by an avenue of sphinxes. We learned that there are roughly 500 of these sphinxes that line a 1.2 mile stretch of road between the Luxor Temple and the Temple of Karnak. The sphinxes were still being excavated but we could see many of them and they were really impressive. As the sun went down the temple was lit up which made it even more beautiful and unique. If you are ever in Luxor I highly recommend checking out the Luxor Temple in the evening when the sun is going down. It is a gorgeous temple and a truly special experience.
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| Sphinx Avenue |
The temple was mostly created by the 18th dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III. Later Ramses II added to the temple. Alexander the Great also modified the temple and we saw walls decorated with scenes about Alexander the Great making offerings to the Theban Triad (Amen, Mut and Khons, all Egyptian gods).
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| Alexander the Great |
During medieval times people settled in and around the temple. As time went by the city continued to grow and build on top and around the Luxor temple. The city was built up approximately fifty feet above the temple. In the 1880s the excavation process began and it continues today. The city that grew up on top of the temple had to be relocated and the people had to be compensated for the land that covered the temple. It is a long process but they are constantly finding new pieces of history as they continue to excavate the temple and surrounding area. I can’t imagine how beautiful the site will be once it is completely excavated.
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| The Abu al-Haggag Mosque in Luxor Temple |
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