Luxor
Luxor city’s name translates to “The Palaces” in Arabic, and it was formerly known as “The City of Hundred Gates.” Many believe it to be the world’s largest open-air museum because it has some of the world’s most magnificent temples and tombs, including the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Queen Hatshepsut Temple, and Luxor Temple, which house some of the world’s most remarkable structures and treasures.
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt. It sits on the east bank of the Nile River. The city is part of ancient Thebes. It served as Egypt’s capital during the New Kingdom and was very important during the Old Kingdom.
Location of Luxor
Luxor is in Upper Egypt, on the southern border of the Nile River. It covers an area of 417 square kilometers (161 square miles). Its population is almost half a million people. Most of them depend on tourism. It is 670 kilometers from Cairo. You can get there by plane in 45 minutes. A train ride takes 9 hours, and a bus takes 7 hours.
Climate
Luxor has a hot and sunny climate, with average temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer and 22 degrees Celsius (71.6 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter. Millions of people come from all over the world to see all of the wonderful delights that this beautiful city has to offer.
History and Background
Luxor was a deeply religious city. It was once called Thebes, meaning “a hundred doors.” It was the center for the Theban triad. This triad included the god Amun-Ra, his wife Mut, and their son Khonsu.
The City of the Gods
Luxor became important during the 11th and 12th dynasties and later in the New Kingdom. It was the “city of the gods.” The Karnak temple became the main worship site for deities like Amun-Re and Mut. The city’s prominence grew and it became the capital. It was a universal center for all political, religious, and military aspects of ancient Egypt.
Kings and Queens
Many kings and queens built temples to honor the gods. King Amenhotep III built a temple for Amon, Mut, and Khonsu. Amon’s power grew. He combined with the sun god Ra to become Amun-RA. People worshipped him at Karnak Temples Complex.
A Brief Shift
After a period of conflict, King Akhenaten tried to impose monotheism. He moved the capital to Amarna. He forced the worship of the single deity Aten. But he failed.
Immortality and Legacy
During the New Kingdom, kings and queens wanted to immortalize their legacies. It became a custom for them to be buried in the Valley of the Kings. The valley contains 63 royal tombs. Famous figures like Ramses the Great and Tutankhamen are buried there. Luxor is also famous for Hatshepsut’s temple, which shows beautiful classical architecture. Alexander the Great also left his mark. He had a granite shrine built for him at the Luxor temple.
A Timeless City
Even with the arrival of the Greek, Roman, Coptic, and Islamic eras, Luxor remained a window to ancient Egyptian history. They built many churches and mosques near or on top of some temples. Today, Luxor continues to surprise us with new discoveries.
Top Attractions in Luxor
Luxor’s true uniqueness lies in its one-of-a-kind ancient attractions. Because of this, UNESCO designated the city a World Heritage Site in 1979.
Key Attractions
The Colossi of Memnon, the city’s heavenly guardian, stands at the city’s entrance. The Valley of the Kings, in the heart of a mountain, holds 63 tombs. These include 20 tombs for kings and queens from the New Kingdom. Here you can find the tombs of the Ramses dynasty, Tutankhamun, and others.
Another remarkable landmark is the Valley of the Nobles. It holds 500 graves of nobility, governors, and tax collectors. Wall pictures and decorations show their daily lives in great detail.
Queen Hatshepsut’s magnificent temple was built in 1479 BC. It is a perfect example of ancient Egyptian architecture and is one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples.
The Great Luxor Temple, also known as the Southern Sanctuary, was built around 1400 BCE. It is one of Luxor’s oldest and most beautiful temples, dedicated to the Theban Triad.
The Great Karnak Temples Complex is one of the world’s largest open-air museums. It records the spiritual development of ancient Egyptian society.
Things To Do in Luxor
There are many exciting things to do in Luxor, including exploring all of the ancient historical attractions throughout the city, as well as visiting shops and bazaars to buy lovely souvenirs, boarding a magnificent hot air balloon, entering the sound and light show, and witnessing the history of ancient Egypt come to life.
Every tourist has the opportunity to join a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, where all of ancient Egypt’s attractions may be thoroughly explored, as well as the spectacular Luxor Museum, which has the rarest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.
If you like to experience Egypt’s great sites and activities, you may try our finest Egypt tour package, the Nile River Cruise, and book the trip that is most appropriate for you. Alternatively, if you are in Luxor and would like to tour the most famous ancient sites in Luxor, you may go on one of our Luxor Excursions.
