Luxor Temple, Luxor (must see)

Luxor Temple, on the banks of the Nile River, is one of the many impressive ancient Egyptian constructions that can be seen in the area that was once known as Thebes, the ancient capital of Egypt. Pharaoh Amenhotep III built the temple during his reign in 1390-1353 B.C and it was dedicated to the Egyptian god Amun-Re and his wife Mut. Tutankhamen further decorated the temple and Ramses II later added the front aspect to the temple and although there were once two grand obelisks standing there, one of them was later taken to La Place de la Concorde in Paris. Alexander the Great rebuilt the sanctuary and chapel at the rear of the temple. To the right of the open court is a chapel that was built by Tuthmosis III and Queen Hatshepsut.

The Luxor Temple was a sacred site for the Egyptians of the New Kingdom and it featured heavily in religious festivals of the time, particularly the Opet Festival. During the Roman domination, the temple was converted into a place of worship for the Roman emperor cult. By the time of the Arab domination, the temple had fallen into disrepair and was buried under centuries of rubble and sand. There is much to see at the site including the Avenue of Sphinxes; two colossal statues of the seated Ramses II; the 25 meter granite obelisk and the Processional Colonnade featuring friezes depicting the Opet Festival.