General Info              -              Hotels              -            Tours

Luxor (1990 est. pop., 138,000), a city in upper Egypt, is located at the site of ancient Thebes. Located 740 km (460 mi) south of Cairo on the Nile River, it was the capital of ancient Egypt during the 11th dynasty (c.2130-1990 BC) but particularly in the New Kingdom (c.1570-1085 BC).To the ancient Egyptians, Luxor was known as Waset, or No, meaning "the city" (Ezek. 30:14 and Nah. 3:8). The Greeks called it Thebes, which was probably derived from Tape, a name of the great temple of Karnak, which is near the city. Both Karnak and the smaller temple of Luxor are on the east side of the river. On the west bank are the famous colossi of King Amenhotep III(c.1417-1379 BC), the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, the Ramesseum and other royal mortuary temples, and the finely decorated tombs of high officials.

The temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amon-Re, was begun by Amenhotep III(who built its great colonnades), and added to by Tutankhamen, Horemheb, and Ramses II.
Just south of the temple is the Old Winter Palace Hotel - used early this century by Lord Carnarvon as work proceeded on West Bank excavations and preliminary work on the tomb of Tutankhamun.
At the northern end of town is the sprawling Karnak complex of temples built over a span of about 1,500 years. It is famous for its main Hypostyle Hall with 134 massive columns. One can wander for hours amongst the ruins. Starting at the first pylon, one walks back through time to the earlier constructions toward the rear.
About halfway between Luxor and Karnak temples is located the Luxor Museum - one of the best in Egypt.

The West Bank was the domain of the deceased and it is dominated by mortuary temples and hundreds of tombs.

The major temples include the Ramesseum - the famous mortuary temple of 19th-dynasty pharaoh Ramesses II. Walking amongst its ruins evokes a special feeling and the fallen colossus shows how even the mighty have fallen. This was the site from which Belzoni removed the famous bust now in the British Museum. Belzoni's signature can still be found carved in stone in a couple of places within the Ramesseum, along with those of other well-known personalities of 19th-century Egypt.

Most famous of all on the West Bank is the Valley of the Kings. Although its modern paths detract a little from its atmosphere, it is still possible to feel the link to the distant past - especially when most of the tourists have left earlier in the day.

Tutankhamun's tomb is one everyone wants to visit - and should if possible - just to appreciate how small was the area that contained the riches now partly on show at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.