Luxor, Egypt
Coordinates: 25.700000, 32.639200
Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was constructed approximately 1400 BCE.
The temple was started by Hatshepsut and extended by her nephew Tuthmosis III. The later pharaohs, Amenhotep III and Rameses II enhanced the temple with statues, colonnades, pylons, and two obelisks. The temple is lit up with lights that change the colors of the temple from a dusty beige to golden tones.
Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death. Instead, Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).
Abu Haggag Mosque
The Abu Haggag Mosque seen from the east
The active Abu Haggag Mosque (Arabic: مسجد أبو الحجاج بالأقصر) is located within the temple, standing on the ancient columns themselves. That part of the Luxor Temple was converted to a church by the Romans in 395 AD, and then to a mosque in 640, more than 3400 years of continuous religious worship [8]. Hence, the Luxor Temple is the oldest building in the world at least partially active for other than archeological or tourist purposes.
Know This
Don’t judge this amazing temple from the outside – and definitely DON’T listen to anyone who says you can see it from the outside.
Even though the country is not wheelchair friendly, once you reach the temples they have ramps to get to the main entrance of temple. You need not worry if you are on a wheelchair you can get around this temple very easily.
You can arrive there after an enjoyable carriage ride from your Luxor hotel or a boat ride from the other bank (the view of the temple from the river is magnificent). The temple preserves the footprints of several pharaohs as it was built and rebuilt for centuries.
It’s recommended to visit temple during sunset and at night. In this way you can experience temple in beautiful sunlight and lights used to lit up the temple.
You must take a guide to understand the history of this amazing place.
