Luxor4u Archaeological Sites

Thebes When Luxor was known as Thebes it was the illustrious capital of Egypt and its history was rich in magic and intrigue. Its Kings included Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great and it was favoured by its Gods. To learn more about Thebes' History, Gods and Kings click on the links.

"The harem of the south" was built as a tribute to the Theban triad of Amun-Min,, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu and was once joined to Karnak Temple by an avenue of sphinxes.

Valley of the Kings

The majority of Pharaohs of the 18th, 19th and 20th Dynasties, including Tutankhamun, chose to conceal their tombs in this canyon which cuts deeply into the Theban Hills.

Valley of the Queens

This is final resting place of several ancient princes and of Ramses II's favourite Queen Nefertari, which is the most beautiful and best preserved of all the Theban tombs.

The Pharaohs' most magnificent achievement. A vast and complex array of temples and chapels to Thebes' most important gods. The hypostyle hall is awe inspiring and unmatched in the ancient world. Hatshepsut's obelisks reach towards her gods and people now walk on Amun's hallowed ground. About 30 pharaohs contributed to the buildings, enabling it to reach a size & complexity not seen elsewhere.

This long and beautiful spur off the Valley of the Kings is also known as the Valley of the Monkeys and is where Kings Ay and Amenophis III chose to be entombed.

Colossus of Memnon

These two colossi front the completely obliterated mortuary temple of Amenophis III and stand isolated and forlorn amid fields of sugar cane and corn.

This is the village where the gifted artists who built and maintained the necropolis lived. On this site are the ruins of their houses, several tombs and a temple to Hathor.

The mortuary temple of Ramses III, is well preserved and 2nd in size only to Karnak. The deco walls show Ramses strength as a warrior and his prowess as a Pharaoh.

The mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut was once rightly known as the "Splendour of Splendours" and a colonnade of sphinxes led from its walls directly to the Nile.

Ramses II was Egypt's greatest Pharaoh and his mortuary temple was meant to last a million years but it fell in an earthquake more than two thousand years ago.

Tombs of the Nobles

These tombs are smaller than the tombs of the Pharaohs but they are very opulent and have exquisitely detailed murals of how people lived in ancient Egypt as well as how they died.

Temple of Seti I

King Seti I was a builder with vision. His temple to Osiris in Abydos is superb and his Theban mortuary temple, although less impressive, is still worth visiting.

There are several mortuary temples and sites of which little now remains but which are still of archaeological interest. Among these are tributes to Merenptah and Tutmosis.