Luxor

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Luxor

Luxor is a city of many names. The ancient Egyptians called it Waset, meaning the City of the Sceptre. When the Greeks came, they called it Thebes. Today it is the modern city of Luxor meaning "the palaces". This enchanting city is located right along the great Nile River, about 500 kilometers south of the modern Egyptian capital, Cairo. Luxor is the best place to learn about ancient Egypt. Walking along the ruins is like stepping back 3,000 years in time. 

 

The modern city includes the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Waset, also known as Thebes or Diospolis  to the Greeks, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open-air museum", as the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor stand within the modern city. Immediately opposite, across the River Nile, lie the monuments, temples and tombs of the west bank Necropolis, which includes the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.

The Nile flowing between the modern city and west-bank necropolis, backed by the enigmatic Theban escarpment. Scattered across the landscape is an embarrassment of riches, from the temples of Karnak and Luxor in the east to the many tombs and temples on the west bank, Thebes’ wealth and power, legendary in antiquity.

Luxor was the ancient city of Thebes, the great capital of Upper Egypt during the New Kingdom, and the glorious city of Amun, later to become the god Amun-Ra.

Thebes was also known as "the city of the 100 gates", sometimes being called "southern Heliopolis" ('Iunu-shemaa' in Ancient Egyptian), to distinguish it from the city of Iunu or Heliopolis, the main place of worship for the god Ra in the north.

The importance of the city started as early as the 11th Dynasty, when the town grew into a thriving city. Montuhotep II, who united Egypt after the troubles of the First Intermediate Period, brought stability to the lands as the city grew in stature. The Pharaohs of the New Kingdom in their expeditions to Kush, in today's northern Sudan, and to the lands f Canaan, Phoenicia and Syria saw the city accumulate great wealth and rose to prominence, even on a world scale.Thebes played a major role in expelling the invading forces of the Hyksos from Upper Egypt, and from the time of the 18th Dynasty to the 20th Dynasty, the city had risen as the political, religious and military capital of Ancient Egypt.

The Golden Age of Thebes was during the Egyptian New Kingdom (1549 -1069 BC). It served as the capital of the Egyptian dominion and boasted a population of over a million people.  The great military successes of the pharaohs of this time made the Egyptian kingdom very wealthy. Their influence expanded south into Nubia, west along the Mediterranean, and east into modern-day Syria. The size, population, and wealth of this great kingdom allowed the pharaohs to commission massive building projects and leave a legacy. The most important thing for an ancient Egyptian was to be remembered for eternity. What better way for these pharaohs to be immortalized than to create vast monuments to themselves. 

However, as the city of the god Amun-Ra, Thebes remained the religious capital of Egypt until the Greek period. The main god of the city was Amun, who was worshipped together with his wife, the Goddess Mut, and their son Khonsu, the God of the moon. With the rise of Thebes as the foremost city of Egypt, the local god Amun rose in importance as well and became linked to the sun god Ra, thus creating the new 'king of gods' Amun-Ra. His great temple at Karnak, just north of Thebes, was the most important temple of Egypt right until the end of antiquity.

The city of Thebes was in ruins and fell in significance. However, Alexander the Great did arrive at the temple of Amun, where the statue of the god was transferred from Karnak during the Opet Festival, the great religious feast.Thebes remained a site of spirituality up to the Christian era, and attracted numerous Christian monks of the Roman Empire who established monasteries amidst several ancient monuments including the temple of Hatshepsut, now called Deir el-Bahri ("the northern monastery")

This is most evident in the areas of Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple Complex. Their ancient stone architecture sits next to sleek modern construction, creating beautiful contrast. Additionally, the area around Luxor and the opposite bank of the river are dotted with a wealth of other temples and tombs. It would several days to explore all of the archeological sites in the area. At each site sits a wealth of knowledge about the ancient Egyptians and their world. 

 

It is easiest to divide the sites around Luxor into two categories those on the East Bank of the Nile and those on the West Bank. This division would have suited the ancient Egyptians as well since to them the East Bank was the land of the living, where the sun rose and people thrived, and the West Bank was the land of the dead, where the sunset and people journeyed into the afterlife. Luxor and the remains of ancient Thebes are located on the East Bank along with the temple complexes that were used to observe the ancient religion in life. The sites on the West Bank are tombs and funerary temples, where Ancient Egyptians and their rulers were laid to rest begin their journey into the afterlife.

 

One of the most unique experiences in Luxor taking a hot air balloon ride at sunrise over the city. See for yourself why Luxor is the world’s greatest open-air museum. It is also a great introduction to all of the things you can see in Luxor. The bird’s-eye view allows you to see an impressive size and significant planning that went into the complexes. The early morning light only adds to this stunning experience. It turns the temples beautiful colors as the light rises and intensifies in the east.

 

Next, go see these amazing ruins up close! Take a tour of east and west bank. We recommend spending a full day on each side. The main sites on the east bank are Karnak and Luxor Temples, dedicated to the god Amon, his wife, Mut, and their son Khonso. The west bank includes the Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, and Hatshepsut Temple. The Valley of the Kings is where Howard Carter famously found King Tut’s unopened tomb. The Colossi of Memnon are two gigantic 59-foot statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and his wife. They were made famous in antiquity by a mysterious sound emitted from one of them each sunrise.

 

The Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temple is something really special. After sunset, the temple illuminated with an audio-visual show that explains how the temple was built and what life was like in ancient Egypt. The visual effects seem to bring the Temple back to life.

 

You can’t leave Luxor without taking a day trip to Dendera and Abydos. These are two of the best preserved and most complete temples from ancient Egypt. Full color is still visible on the walls of these beautiful temples. Abydos is the burial location of the ancient god of the underworld. The temple was built by King Seti I, and completed by King Ramsess II. Dendera is a temple dedicated of Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of love and joy.

 

Highlights in Luxor:

East Bank:

  • Luxor Temple
  • Luxor International Airport
  • Karnak Temple
  • Luxor Museum
  • Mummification Museum

 

West Bank:

  • Valley of the Kings
  • Valley of the Queens
  • Medinet Habu (memorial temple of Ramesses III)
  • The Ramesseum (memorial temple of Ramesses II)
  • Deir el-Medina (workers' village)
  • Tombs of the Nobles
  • Deir el-Bahari (Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, etc.)
  • Malkata (palace of Amenophis III)
  • Colossi of Memnon (memorial temple of Amenophis III)
  • Al-Asasif cemetery