Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple: The Dazzling Masterpiece of Egypt’s Female Pharaoh

Your Guided Tour: What to See at the Temple

The temple is a stunning series of three massive terraces connected by long, sloping ramps. As you ascend, you are walking through the story she wanted to tell.

The Lower Terrace

This large courtyard was once a lush garden. Ancient texts say it was planted with unfamiliar myrrh trees brought back from the famous expedition to Punt.

The Middle Terrace: The Storybook in Stone

This is where the temple’s most famous stories are carved.

• The Punt Colonnade (To the South): This is the main event! These beautiful, painted reliefs tell the full story of Hatshepsut’s legendary trading expedition to the Land of Punt (modern-day Somalia or Eritrea). You can see the Egyptian ships, the unfamiliar houses-on-stilts of the Puntites, and the unfamiliar goods they brought back, including myrrh trees, ivory, and baboons.
• The Birth Colonnade (To the North): This is Hatshepsut’s ultimate political statement. The reliefs here tell a divine story: that the god Amun himself took the form of her father (Thutmose I) and visited her mother, making Hatshepsut the literal “daughter of god” and her claim to the throne undeniable.
• The Hathor & Anubis Chapels: At the ends of this terrace are two small, beautiful, and well-preserved chapels. The Hathor Chapel features unique columns with the face of the cow-eared goddess of love. The Anubis Chapel has stunningly vibrant colors, honoring the god of mummification.

The Upper Terrace: The “Holy of Holies”

This was the most sacred part of the temple, with a grand entrance ramp flanked by colossal Osiride statues of Hatshepsut as the god Osiris. This terrace leads directly to the Sanctuary of Amun, a chapel cut deep into the mountain cliff itself.