Necropolis of Thebes Travel Guide
Door lintel at First Pylon
by MM212
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Door lintel at First Pylon
by MM212
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Offerings to the gods
by MM212
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The Sanctuary of Amun
by MM212
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Prisoner offerings to the god Amun
by MM212
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Madinet Habu - Migdol Gate
MM212 Says:
Named after a Syrian fortress, the Migdol Gate was built by Ramses III after his victories in Syria. The monumental gate is architecturally unique in Egypt as it was modelled after gates more commonly built in Syria. Two statues of the warrior goddess, Sekhmet, with the head...
Temple of Ramses III - Hypostyle Halls & beyond
MM212 Says:
For centuries, the locals nibbled on stones from the inner-most part of the Temple of Ramses III to construct other edifices, so we are now left with very little of what must have once been a highly impressive series of hypostyle halls. Three such halls preceeded the inner...
Temple of Ramses III - Second Courtyard
MM212 Says:
The Second Pylon leads to the Second Courtyard. It is of a similar size to the first, though bordered on all four sides with porticoes, two of which are lined with Osirid statues of Ramses III. During Coptic times, the Second Courtyard was used as a church and its wall...
Temple of Ramses III - First Courtyard
MM212 Says:
Connecting the First and Second Pylons, the First Courtyard of the Temple of Ramses III is bordered by a portico on either side. The right hand portico is lined with statues of Ramses III in the form of the god Osiris, and his queens. The left hand portico has columns with...
Temple of Ramses III - First Pylon
MM212 Says:
The enormous First Pylon of the Temple of Ramses III is dedicated to the glory of the Pharaoh. Scenes of offerings of prisoners to the gods dominate the two walls of the Pylon and supplemented with smaller scenes.
Madinet Habu - Temple of Ramses III
MM212 Says:
The best kept secret in western Thebes, the funerary Temple of Ramses III is often skipped by organised tourist groups. Yet, it is one of the best preserved and largest temples in all of Thebes. Ramses III, a 20th Dynasty Pharaoh, modelled his funerary temple after the...
Madinet Habu
MM212 Says:
Referred to as Madinet Habu, this temple complex is the largest in Western Thebes and second only to the Complex of Karnak in size. The complex is made up several temples and structures built by various Pharaohs, but the largest and most dominant is the Funerary Temple of...
Madinet Habu - Temple of Amun
MM212 Says:
Built in the 15th century BC by Pharaoh Thutmosis III, the Temple of Amun is the oldest temple in Madinet Habu. It is much smaller than the funerary Temple of Ramses III, but remained in use for over 15 centuries through Ptolemaic and Roman times. During these latter...
Deir el-Bahri - The Temple of Hatshepsut
MM212 Says:
One of the star temples in the Necropolis of Thebes, the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut was built during her reign in the 15th century BC. She became the defacto ruler while her son, Thutmosis III, was too young to be Pharaoh and she seemed to have had to impose her...
Deir el-Bahri
MM212 Says:
With desert cliffs towering above, Deir el-Bahri is the most dramatic of all temples in Thebes. In fact, it is a complex of mortuary temples and chapels built by several pharoahs from the Middle and New Kingdoms in the Necropolis of Thebes near the edge of the fertile...
Temple of Hatshepsut - Inner Courtyard
MM212 Says:
What was once the hypostyle hall of the Temple of Hatshepsut is now an inner courtyard with few of the columns standing. The courtyard is dominated by the towering cliffs above and is flanked by two chapels, one dedicated to Hatshepsut, the other to Thutmosis. The back end...
Temple of Hatshepsut - Upper Terrace
MM212 Says:
In contrast to the lower terraces, the third terrace in the Temple of Hatshepsut is quite small. Statues of the Queen in the form of the god Osiris were erected along the terrace and its portico's columns making this part the most spectacular part of the temple. Only seven...
Temple of Hatshepsut - Punt Colonnade
MM212 Says:
One of the most celebrated parts of the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Punt Colonnade tells the story of Queen Hatshepsut's expedition to the Land of Punt. Historians have located this distant nation somewhere in east Africa, specifically Ethiopia or Somalia. In an amicable...
Deir el-Bahri - Chapel of Hathor
MM212 Says:
Dedicated to the goddess of love and happiness, Hathor, this small chapel is adjacent to both the Temple of Hatshepsut and the ruined Temple of Thutmosis III, and dates from the reign of Queen Hatshepsut. In Ancient Egypt, the goddess Hathor is generally represented either...
Temple of Hatshepsut - Middle Terrace
MM212 Says:
The vast middle terrace of the Temple of Hatshepsut contains the more interesting features of the temple. The northern end, along the cliff is unfinished portico with multiple columns. The adjacent corner of the terrace, facing east, is the chapel of Anubis with its...
Temple of Hatshepsut - Lower Terrace
MM212 Says:
In the glory days of the Temple of Hatshepsut, the lower or first terrace was the grand entrance into the temple. The vast area was once planted with trees brought back from the Queen's expedition in the Land of Punt (thought to be Ethiopia or Somalia) and an impressive...
Travelling around the Necropolis of Thebes
MM212 Says:
If you are travelling with a large tourist group, then you'll have nothing to worry about. Your group will likely travel by bus around the area, but you'll be one of those unfortunate ones who are stuck with little freedom of decision making! For independent travellers,...
How to get the Valley
Kuznetsov_Sergey Says:
The Valley is situated 2 kilometers to the North of the Hatshepsut Temple (about 10 kilometers from Luxor). It is possible to reach the valley by bus or by car. Parking and entrance in the valley are on the distance about a kilometer from the tombs. This distance can be...
Gurna and other local villages...
MM212 Says:
Over the centuries, several small local villages with pastel coloured houses developed all over the Necropolis of Thebes. Many of these village were built on top of tombs and may have used building materials from ancient structures. Some believe that, prior to the discovery...
Hot Air Balloon Ride
MM212 Says:
While I did not try it, a hot air balloon ride above the Necropolis of Thebes seems like a fun idea. It is popular among visitors and probably gives excellent perspective over the varied layout of the land. Perhaps on my next visit!
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