Luxor Egypt
Luxor was the ancient capital of Egypt for more than 1500 years. It contains most of the well-preserved temples and monuments almost a third of the world’s monuments. It contains most of the temples of Egypt. One of the most visiting and touristic places in Egypt.
It is considered the best historical destination in the winter. It is on the East Bank of the Nile in Upper Egypt. It is 700 km from Cairo and 220 km north of Aswan. It 416 km2. It has 500 thousand inhabitants. It is most recommended to know its great history.
The Origin of the Name
It was known by the name “Usat” by the ancient Egyptians which means scepter and by the Greeks, it was “Thebes”. It was called “Luxor or the city of 100 gates” by the Arabs when they arrived in Egypt. It was also called the city of the sun and the city of light.
The History of Luxor
One of the oldest cities in Egypt, its history went back 7000 years. It was founded from dynasty IV a. c. It was considered as tombs of the ancients. In the 11th dynasty, it was an administrative center.
Its importance began from the 11th dynasty when it was the center of art, religion, and politics. It was the capital of Egypt by Amenophis I.
From the 18th to the 20th dynasty its local god Amon became the chief god of cities and began to flourish as a religious, political, and military capital.
The pharaohs built many temples, which is why the Arabs gave it the name “Luxor and the city of 100 gates.” It was the capital of Egypt until the XXXI dynasty when the Pharaonic dynasties ended by Persia in 332 BC. c.
The Climate of Luxor
The climate in Luxor is arid and hot in the summer and moderate in the winter. That is why the best time to visit Luxor is at the beginning of spring, autumn, and especially in winter because the temperature is pleasant at this time.
The Attractions of Luxor
Luxor “Ancient Thebes” contains many historical places which are very interesting to explore up close. It was the center of the god “Amon-Ra” that is why the pharaohs built many temples (it contains almost 14 temples), the most famous being the Temple of Karnak. By cruising the Nile you can explore all this civilization in Upper Egypt.
The Luxor Temple is one of the largest temples. It was built in the 18th and 19th dynasties in 1400 BC. c. by Amenophis III and Ramsis II. It was dedicated to the god Amon, his wife Mut, and their son Jonsu and was known as the Sanctuary of the South.
It is the largest temple in the country. It is a religious complex of temples, it was built by more than 30 pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Seti I, Ramses II, and Ramses III between the years 2200 and 360 BC. c.
It contains the temple of Amon (the largest temple) and other smaller ones such as the Montu enclosure, Mut enclosure, Jonsu temple, Opet temple, and Ptah temple. It also contains a room of more than 500 m2 with 134 columns.
It contains more than 60 tombs of different sizes from the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. King Tuthmosis I, pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, was the first king to be buried there and later many others such as Ramses III and Tuthmosis III were buried, but the most famous tomb in the Valley of the Kings is the tomb of Tutankhamun.
It contains many tombs of the princesses and the wives of the pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. The most famous tomb in the Valley of the Queens is that of Queen Nefertari, the wife of Pharaoh Ramses II.
It was built by the order of her husband Ramses II in 1290 BC. c. the ancients called the valley “the land of the king’s children” but Champollion named it the Valley of the Queens.
They are two statues that represent King Amenophis III. The Colossi were built 3400 years to protect the ancient entrance to the temple of Amenophis but it was destroyed in 1200 BC. c.
6-The Temple of Hatchepsut
He was known by the name “Djoser-Djoser”. The Temple of Hatshepsut was built by the order of Queen Hatchepsut who was the first woman to occupy the position of pharaoh for 20 years. It is also known as the Temple of Deir El-Bahari. It was dedicated to the god Amon-Ra.
Excursion by Jakada Tours Egypt
Egypt is the pharaonic country and the cradle of civilization for its great history. It’s a good idea to explore Luxor’s attractions and most of the temples in Luxor and Aswan up close on a Nile cruise. Check out our Egypt travel packages and book your vacation now!
