The temple complexes of Luxor and Karnak are the main attractions of Luxor, or, as it is called, the "City of the Living". Luxor is located on the right bank of the river. Nile, on the site of the former capital of ancient Egypt, the city of Thebes.
The modern city of Luxor is a residential area with shops, hotels, numerous ancient monuments and restaurants, where the Luxor and Karnak temples occupy a special place, in addition, enjoy the close attention of tourists who relax in the resorts of Egypt.
These temples are interconnected by a 3-kilometer avenue of sphinxes. This is all that remains of the famous Corridor of Light, which once connected the temple complexes into one ensemble.
Luxor Temple: Description
It is a gem among the remaining architectural monuments of Ancient Egypt. This is a vivid example of the power of the pharaohs, sustained in the traditions of urban planning of those years. Of course, the monument has not survived to our times in its original form, although on some columns you can still see traces of the original paint, while in a dilapidated temple there is an opportunitysee the outlines of its halls. The Luxor temple of ancient Egypt impresses with its scale, perfection of forms and grandeur, as well as the harmony of architecture with the landscape, which even the proximity to modern Luxor could not spoil.
Construction
The temple is located on the site of Thebes - the ancient capital of Egypt. It is dedicated to three deities: Amon, Mut - his wife, and Khons - their son. Its construction began during the reign of Amenhotep III, but two hundred years before that Thutmose III and Hatshepsut built a small sanctuary visited on the feast of Opet. Although it was Amenhotep III who immortalized his name thanks to the construction of this complex.
The architects of the pharaoh began construction from the interior (hypostyle hall, vestibule and sanctuary), then to the north they created a courtyard surrounded by columns in the form of bundles of papyrus stems. The famous Precession Colonnade, consisting of 12-meter columns in the form of blooming papyrus flowers, is also a creation of the architects of the pharaoh. The columns, in addition, are decorated with hieroglyphs that tell about the god Amon.
The Luxor Temple in Luxor was continued to be built by Pharaoh Ramesses II, famous for his monuments in Ancient Egypt. Its architects installed a huge pillar surrounded by statues of the pharaoh and 74 columns. The most notable are the figure of Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari. With their grandeur, 6 statues of the pharaoh, as if protruding from the shadow of the temple, shock. A truly sinister effect is achievedby moonlight at night.
Antiquities
Despite the fact that the Luxor Temple in Egypt is a monument of history and impresses even from afar with its grandeur and tranquility, there are also a huge number of cultural treasures on its territory. For example, the frescoes that have survived to this day amaze everyone with the stories they tell about and the ornate forms. The most valuable is the relief, which tells that the pharaoh was born from the god Amun, who found the most beautiful woman and, turning into the guise of her husband, conceived a child with her - the future Amenhotep III. The newborn was presented with gifts by the entire pantheon of gods, who gave him prosperity, strength, eternal memory and glory.
Near the entrance to the Luxor temple in Egypt there is an obelisk made of pink granite, as well as two statues of Ramses II. From the very beginning, the entrance was decorated with two obelisks, only in 1819 one of them was presented to the King of France. The Luxor temple itself begins with a pylon decorated with frescoes that describe the victory over the Hittites. Further, the rest of the pharaohs on the pylon captured their victories.
Another attraction of the temple are the alleys of sphinxes connecting the main building with the temples of the goddess Mut and Khons. The sphinxes seem to guard the path of the pharaoh, their absolute calmness, first of all, speaks of the peace and safety of the living and the dead.
Alexander the Great
Luxor temple, photowhich can be seen in this article, Alexander the Great, the great conqueror, did not bypass his attention. During his reign, he was able to add finishing touches to this ancient monument. So, the Luxor Temple was added to the back of the temple in his honor. Also, Roman stucco was placed on top of the Egyptian frescoes in the inner part of the complex, despite the fact that the local priests did their best to oppose such "improvements".
Muslim Monument
The Luxor temple is also interesting for the Abu el-Haggaq mosque. It stands out from the whole ensemble of sights. This is a monument to the saint, who, during the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, was able to save animals and people from death. Tradition says that when the caravan moved through the desert, risking death due to thirst, the saint began to pray to Allah, and that his bottle was filled with water. So the saint watered the whole caravan, which saved him from death.
According to another version, Abu el-Haggag married Princess Tarza. After that, he promised himself that he should die only in the Luxor Temple. Only the disease overtook him far from here. Then the Lord sent two angels to him, who carried him home. A mosque was erected on the very spot where they left the saint.
At present, there is a Nile boat on the roof of the mosque. Every year, before the start of the Nile flood, it is removed and painted. Then an honorary escort with her bypasses all nearby fields. This escort includes sixty foot soldiers and two policemen, followed by camels in blankets,decorated with bells and feathers. Then the descendants of the saint and members of the religious brotherhood join the procession. This procession is a reminder of the ancient rituals dedicated to the fertility of the earth.
Luxor temple is a monument of history. Despite the fact that it is “squeezed” on all sides by the city with its shops and noisy streets, the sanctuary of the ancient gods still amazes the imagination with its unearthly calmness, grandeur, inner harmony and grandeur…
Famous Temple of Karnak
It is a complex measuring 700 m by 1.5 km, including 33 temples, as well as halls. It has been modified and supplemented for 2000 years. Each pharaoh tried to contribute to the temple, perpetuating his name in it.
Temple building
It includes 3 parts:
- The central part is the temple of Amon Ra, dedicated to the god Amon. This is the most interesting and largest building here, which began to be erected during the reign of Amenhotep III;
- To the north are the ruins of the Montu Temple;
- South is the temple of Mut, dedicated to the wife of Amun-Ra and Queen Mut.
The complex underwent significant changes during the reign of Ramesses I, II, III, Amenhotep III, Queen Hatshepsut, Thutmose I and III, Ptolemy and the Libyan kings of the 22nd dynasty.
During the reign of Hatshepsut, 2 giant 30-meter obelisks created in her honor, as well as 8 pylons were installed in the temple of Amun.
Under Thutmose III, the complex was built up with walls, within this bas-reliefs were painted images of the victories of the people of Egypt.
Sacred Lake
Slightly south of the temple is the Sacred Lake. It is a bathing pond, next to which a column was installed, which is crowned by a huge scarab beetle. It is worth noting that for the ancient Egyptians it was a symbol of prosperity.
The Temple of Karnak, like most of the sights of Egypt, was under a layer of sand until the 19th century, although now it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Karnak and Luxor temples take the 2nd place in popularity and attendance among tourists who rest in Egyptian resorts. An excursion to Luxor will take you back to the past, which is still hidden today in wall paintings and writings. Such a trip will leave many unforgettable and vivid impressions!
