Thebes Favorites

Favorite thing: The focal point of the Deir el-Bahri complex is the Djeser-Djeseru meaning "the Holy of Holies" or "the most magnificent of the magnificent". It is a colonnaded structure. It is considered to be designed and implemented by Senemut who was the royal steward and architect of Hatshepsut.

Djeser-Djeseru sits atop a series of colonnaded terraces, reached by long ramps.
The pillared galleries at either side of the central ramp of the Djeser Djeseru correspond to the pillar positions on two successive levels of the Temple of Mentuhotep.

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Favorite thing: Hatshepsut (meaning Foremost of Noble Ladies) was the pharaoh of ancient Egypt. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful female pharaohs of Egypt. She reigned longer than any other female ruler of an indigenous dynasty.

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Favorite thing: Deir el-Bahri has the literally meaning “The Northern Monastery”. It represents a complex of mortuary temples and tombs. It is located on the West bank of the Nile just opposite the city of Luxor. That’s why people used to consider it as a part of Luxor.

There are the three temples at Deir el Bahri. It is considered that it was here, in about 2000 BC, that Mentuhotep II, the founder of the Middle Kingdom, laid out his sloping, terrace-shaped mortuary temple.

The first monument built at the site was the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II. Hatshepsut's Temple and Tuthmosis III's Temple were built later. Tourists usually can visit only one of them - Hatshepsut's Temple because it is renovated and has the most attractive view. Other two Temples are under construction but they aren’t less interesting than the famous Hatshepsut's Temple.

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Favorite thing: The Theban Hills are situated on the Western bank of the Nile just opposite Luxor. They are not very high – about 400-500 meters, but very picturesque. May that was the main reason why the Kings of the New Kingdom arranged there mortuary temples and hid their tombs in rocks.

In our imagination Egypt is associated first of all with desert. In the second turn it is associated with waters of the Nile. The association with mountains arises only in last turn. Therefore an unusual mountain landscape, which grows as soon as you cross the Nile and appear on the Western bank, fascinates everybody.

The huge rock of the Theban Hills with its vertical cliffs is visible along the whole semi-circle in which stood the three temples of Deir el-Bahari.