Nicest Places in Luxor (Egypt)

Luxor alone comprises most of Egypt's Pharaonic monuments, which account for about two-thirds of the world's monuments. It is also called the City of a Hundred Gates or the City of the Sun, formerly known as Thebes, which is the capital of Egypt in the Pharaonic era. Luxor is about 670 kilometers away from Cairo and 220 kilometers from Aswan. It is connected to the governorates of Egypt with various transport networks, land and nile transport, which take between 8 and 12 hours and air for about an hour. Luxor is also linked to other tourist cities, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, with a network of land and air transport, making access to Luxor easier.

At first, Luxor was a city belonging to Qena. But, several years ago, the former president, Mohamed Hosni Mubarak decided to convert the city of Luxor to Governorate. Luxor is characterized by many attractive places, whether historical, archaeological or natural, so in this article we will know together the most prominent places you can enjoy visiting in the governorate of Luxor.

Luxor Temple

The Temple of Luxor is one of the most prominent temples of the East Bank, located near Karnak Temple. It was founded in 1400 BC. The Luxor temple was built during the reign of the 18th Dynasty kings and the nineteenth family. The temple of Luxor is characterized by its huge structure, which begins with its large gate, two statues of Ramses II, two obelisks, one in its place and the other in the French capital, Paris since 1836.

It is worth mentioning that in the Temple of Luxor, there is the monument of Ramses II huge 65 m width, then we will find a huge corridor consisting of two rows of great columns, and many of the monuments and distinctive rooms. The Temple of Luxor falls under the list of world heritage, for the beauty of its beauty and its authentic heritage.

It is also called, Temple of Deir El-Bahari. Hatshepsut Temple is a funerary temple built on the West Bank of the Nile in the city of Luxor over the 15 years of the reign of Queen Hatshepsut in a style quite different from other temples of the East. This temple was built of colored limestone and transformed at the end of Ptolemaic rule, with the beginning of the spread of Christianity in Egypt to a Coptic monastery before returning to its origin again.

In spite of what this temple has undergone, throughout these centuries it still has its own beauty and charm, making it one of the most important tourist attractions in Egypt. In the temple of Hatshepsut, you can take a complete remote image of the temple which consists of 3 galleries spread over 3 floors on a mountainous backdrop. Do not forget to visit the Holy Room of the god Amun and the celebration hall. As well as visit the Temples of Thutmose III and Mentuhotep II.

Karnak Temple

The word "Karnak" means the fortified fortress, where the pharaohs built it directly on the Nile, to serve as a safe haven for safe haven seekers. The Karnak Temple is a series of temples dating back to the Pharaonic era and extends over an area of ​​more than 60 acres north of Luxor. It is considered the largest temple of worship in ancient times. This building is a living history of the development of Egyptian architecture through ancient Pharaonic civilization.

Karnak Temple is the largest of its kind in Egypt and the world. This temple reflects through the stages of its construction and development, the history and culture of ancient Egypt, starting from the Middle Pharaonic era and ending in the Ptolemaic era through 8 gates. Each gate leading to a majestic building of 10 great buildings, making it one of the most important tourist attractions in Egypt.

Usually, your journey begins inside the Karnak Temple in Luxor from the gate, by seeing a huge illustration of the Temple and the treasures inside it. After that, you will be able to enjoy a tour accompanied by your tour guide on the Kebash Road, decorated with rams on the right and left. During this interesting journey, do not forget to take the finest photographs with the monumental statue of Ramses II and between the largest lobby of columns of its kind in the world.

The Valley of Kings is located on the west bank of the Nile, opposite the city of Luxor. It includes tombs of kings and the footnote of Pharaonic families, from the family 18 until 20, who ruled Egypt over the course of 5 centuries. The Valley of Kings was built between the 11th and 16th centuries BC and it is one of the most important tourist attractions in Egypt.

It is noteworthy that the valley is divided into two valleys:

• Eastern Valley, which includes most of the royal tombs (More than 64 graveyards).
• Western Valley, which Amenhotep III, was the first to build a cemetery in it.

It is worth mentioning that the Valley of the Kings is classified as one of the sites of UNESCO World Heritage; because it contains Pharaonic tombs with frescoes that are the most magnificent ever. It is said that this site was chosen for burial because of its proximity to the Pharaonic temples. One of the most important things you can do in the Valley of Kings is to see the only mummy of Tutankhamun available in the open tombs to visit. You can also take souvenir pictures and buy DVD discs from the valley bazaars to document the trip.

The Valley of the Queens is located in the southernmost part of the Western Valley. It was built in the same architectural style as the Valley of the Kings. It has the same purpose. It is the burial place of royal family women, princes, princesses and close associates of the noble class. The most famous tombs in the Valley of the Queens, the tomb of Queen "Nefertari", the beloved wife of Ramesses II. It is said that this cemetery is the most beautiful in Egypt. All of its walls are decorated with engravings representing Nefertari while receiving direction and guidance from the gods.

In the era of the family 18 and 19, The Valley of the Queens was the place where the queens were buried. During the 20th Dynasty, the tombs inside were re-dug to bury many queens. In the Roman period the valley was used more widely to accommodate more dead. Approximately one kilometer from the road leading to the Valley of the Queens, the monastery of Medina is located. The name of the Monastery of the City goes back to the temple of Ptolemy dedicated to the worship of the god Hathor, which was later inhabited by the early Christian monks. Next to the temple is the village of the workers, an ancient town where workers and artists who established the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens lived and buried there. Some of the tombs of the workers are considered to be beautiful works that are already worth visiting.

The Valley of the Queens consists of the main valley, which includes 91 mausoleums, as well as sub-valleys of 19 other tombs, such as: Valley of the Prince Ahmus, the Valley of Dolmen and Valley of Habl (Valley of Rope).

Temple of Hapu

Temple of Hapu is one of the greatest temples of the twentieth family, built by King Ramses III for the establishment of funeral rites for him, and worship of the idol Amun. The temple of Hapu is known in Luxor as the temple of Ramesses the Third. Some say that this name is due to a priest who lived in the Coptic city, while others say that this name goes back to Amenhotep Ben Habu, the minister of Amenhotep the Third. The temple contains the gate of Ramses III, which features its tower and its distinctive balconies, and those Pharaonic inscriptions on the walls that tell the life of the king and his family and his military achievements.

The temple of Hapu also contains the lounges of the three legends that lead to the Holy Lake. This is in addition to the Holy of Holies, the booths of the gods and the royal booths. In this temple, you can see the death chamber where funerary rituals are performed and prepare them for the journey to the other world. The Temple of Habu City was planned in an organized manner. The temple has two walls, an internal and an external wall. Outside the wall of the temple is the ship's anchorage.

Banana Island is located in western Luxor, an island made by nature with minor interventions from the hands of the inhabitants of Luxor to represent a kingdom of magic and tranquility and serenity of visitors who come in different seasons of the year to enjoy the beautiful scenery, greenery and the magic of mixing the Nile with large banana trees.

The area of the Banana Island is about five acres and is filled with wonderful banana trees next to the palms which characterize the nature of the Luxor agricultural governorate. There are also fig trees, guava and others that are offered to tourists and visitors from Luxor. The center of the island is covered with chairs made of branches of trees to sit on, and there is also an old "waterwheel" to impart the charm of the agricultural nature and take pictures of it by visitors.

Banana Island is considered the most important platform for the reception of people and tourists. It can be reached by felucca trips, which are spread along the Nile River.

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