History of the governorate
Administrative divisions of Luxor Governorate
- Qurna.
- Luxor (The capital).
- Armant.
- Esna.
- Also, Tiba.
Attractions in Luxor Governorate
Monuments in the western bank of River Nile
Temple of Hatshepsut
The Memorial Temple of Hatshepsut, in Deir El Bahri, is one of the most prominent temples we have in Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the River Nile in Luxor, Luxor governorate. It is a semi-rock-carved temple. This aspect was unusual for that time. Indeed. the temple of Queen Hatshepsut became a real engineering marvel of the ancient builders. Presently, we consider it as one of the most famous structures of ancient Egyptian architecture.
Hatshepsut temple, at El Deir El Bahary, is this impressive temple dedicated to the Queen Hatshepsut the only female pharaoh. Impressively, it rises out in the desert with a series of terraces. Apparently, it merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it. It is the most beautiful & best-preserved of all of the temples of Ancient Egypt.
Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Kings is the place where the magnificent tombs exist. Professionally, the Ancient Egyptians carved those tombs deeply into the mountain rock. Also, they richly decorated them and filled them with treasures for the afterlife. The Valley of the Kings homes tombs of ancient Egyptian kings e.g toms of the great pharaoh Ramses II, and Tutankhamen.
Temple of Amenhotep III
The Temple of Amenhotep III is one of the amazing temples located on the west bank of the River Nile, in the Theban Necropolis, Luxor governorate. Amenhotep III, pharaoh of the Dynasty XVIII, built this temple during his rule about 1400 B.C. Also, Colossi of Memnon: Two massive mono stone statues of king Amenhotep III are the major remains of a huge mortuary temple.
Monuments in the eastern bank of River Nile
Temples of Karnak
Karnak Temple: It is the largest temple complex in the ancient world. Amazingly, it represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders and pharaohs. Its ancient name is Ipet-isut which means “the most sacred of places”. Continuously, the building of this complex temple lasted over more than two thousand years. It compromises three main temples, smaller enclosed temples, and several outer temples on 247 acres of land. Within the great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars.
The key difference between Karnak and most of the other temples and sites in Egypt is the time taken to build and develop. It took a long time to arrive at its final shape. Here, we are not talking about a single temple; but, a complex of temples. As an ancient Egyptian temple, the construction started in the Middle Kingdom and continued to Ptolemaic times. Almost all the rulers of Ancient Egypt left their mark in this vast and huge complex. Approximately thirty pharaohs contributed to the buildings. This process of construction and renovation have led to size, complexity, and diversity not seen elsewhere. Really, It is the largest religious building ever made, covering about 200 acres! Additionally, it was a place of pilgrimage for nearly 2,000 years.
Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple is an Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city Thebes, Luxor governorate. This temple was built by Amenhotep III (1390-52 BC) but completed by Tutankhamun (1336-27 BC) and Horemheb (1323-1295 BC). Finally, it was added to the temples built during Ramses II (1279-13 BC). At the same time, we can see a granite shrine, toward the rear, which is dedicated to Alexander the Great (332-305 BC).
The Temple of Luxor was the centre of the most important festival _ the festival of Opet. This festival was to reconcile the human aspect of the ruler with the divine office. Amenhotep III and Ramses II dedicated the majestic Luxor Temple to the god Amun.