Location: Luxor GovernorateMap
Luxor Archaeological Site religious complex is located in Luxor Governorate in Egypt. Temple at Luxor is a religious complex dedicated to a triad of Egyptian gods Amon or Amun, Mut and Khonsu. Luxor Archaeological Site is one of the largest and spectacular collection of temples from the time of Ancient Egypt. Most of surviving structures date back to the time of ruling of Amenhotep III and Ramses III (XIII- XI centuries BC). The temple of Luxor held annual celebrations of Opet during the floods of the Nile. During the festivities the priests from the Karnak Temple brought sacred boat of Amun, Mut and Khonsu and performed sacred rituals dedicated to the celebration of new harvest.
The road to the temple is the avenue of sphinxes that once stretched from Luxor to Karnak. Before the entrance there is a first pylon, decorated with scenes of a victorious battle of Ramses. Here there are two huge statues of Ramses and the obelisk, made of pink granite. There were two obelisks, but the second was taken in the XIX century in Paris, where it stands at a Place de la Concorde.
Next is the court of Ramses II, on the east side of which rises the Mosque of Abu al-Haggag. Ramses court is surrounded by two rows of columns. Their capitals are created in the form of lotus buds. The walls of the courtyard although heavily damaged are adorned with bas-reliefs.
Huge black granite statues of Ramses guarding the entrance to the most ancient part of the temple. It begins with a majestic colonnade of Amenhotep III with the passage of the 14 columns. Columns decorated with capitals in the form of papyrus buds, and bas-reliefs on the walls depict scenes of Opet festival ceremony.
The next courtyard of Amenhotep III that is surrounded by colonnade. In the yard you can see the lobby, decorated with columns, which leads into the Sanctuary of the temple. Then you reach the Birth Room those walls are painted with scenes of birth of Amenhontepa III and his accession to the throne. Further, the chapel of Alexander of Macedon and the premises of the priests.