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Luxor, situated 440 miles south of Cairo on
the east bank of the Nile, was the capital of Egypt during the Middle
and New kingdoms, holding the seat of power for more than thirteen
centuries. In antiquity, Luxor was called Thebes. Renowned Greek
historian, Homer, called Thebes “the one hundred-gated city” because of
its buildings and large gates. The city grew over the years, and the
Arab Moslems, impressed by its beautiful palaces and huge edifices,
re-named it Luxor, meaning “the city of palaces”.
Today, visitors are still awed by this
city, made immortal by its huge, pillared-monuments along both banks of
the Nile. Luxor is the world's greatest open-air museum filled with
awe-inspiring monuments of ancient civilizations. In the east stands the
City of the Living, where the life-giving sun rises; and in the west
lays the City of the Dead, where the sun, in its never-ending orbit,
bids farewell to life. Surrounded by modern shops and luxury hotels, the
temples, tombs and palaces still stand in sandstone and granite, as
symbol of the desire for immortality and eternity.
Luxor is unique among the cities of the
world. A visitor can walk through history, past statues with heads of
gods and animals, beneath pillars carved with lotus buds and papyrus.
You can ride in a horse-drawn carriage, sail aboard a felucca, take a
sunset cruise, and even see the city from a hot-air balloon! Wherever
you tread, you feel you are experiencing the past and the present
simultaneously. There is hardly a place in this city that does not have
a relic that tells of the grandeur of the ancient Egyptians.
Sites of the East Bank
The temples of Luxor and Karnak
The Temple of Luxor was completely covered less than a century ago.
It was discovered by accident and it took two years to excavate the
excellently preserved ruins that are now visible. Amenophis III, Ramses
II, Tutankhamun, and Haremhab built the Temple of Luxor during their
respective reigns. Along the front of the temple Pylons are six large
statues of Amenophis III. Behind the east tower, inside the courtyard of
Ramses II, is an ancient mosque built over a portion of the temple. The
awe-inspiring Temple of Karnak , a city unto itself, is located about 2
miles north of the Temple of Luxor . The Temple of Karnak was dedicated
to the god Amun.
Sites of the West Bank
The Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens
Generations of Pharaohs and Nobles were buried in great splendor in
crypts cut into the cliffs. A dramatic landscape of sun, sand and rugged
mountain peaks contrasts with the dark silence of some of the sixty-four
royal tombs discovered to date. One of these, the tomb of Tutankhamun,
was almost completely intact when discovered in 1922. The tomb of Queen
Nefertari, recently opened to the public after a three million dollar
restoration, is the most beautiful tomb discovered to date in Egypt.
Elaborate murals on the walls depict Nefertari's journey to the
afterlife. The vibrancy of the colors is truly amazing. Warm ochre,
terra cotta, royal blue and green are used to color a parade of gods,
humans, animals and magical objects. Nefertari is usually seen in these
paintings surrounded by the gods; she wears a golden crown with two
feathers and is clothed in a white, gossamer gown. Even though Nefertari
died 32 centuries ago, her life will still touch your heart.
Colossi of Memnon
At the entrance of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the
Queens, and amid sugar can fields, stand peacefully the two imposing
colossi of Memnon, faithfully guarding and protecting their rulers as
they have through the centuries.
Hatshepsut Temple
The monumental stone temple dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, the first
female pharaoh in Egyptian history, stands in Deir el Bahari. Hatshepsut
was the favorite daughter of a popular pharaoh, and was charismatic and
beautiful in her own right. She ruled for almost 20 years, and left
behind more monuments and works of art than any Egyptian queen to come.
Her temple describes, in hieroglyphic inscriptions, the expeditions she
ordered during her sovereignty, sending her armies to search for ivory,
spices, and gold.
Climate data for
Luxor
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
|
Average high
|
°C
°F |
23.0
73.4 |
25.4
77.7 |
27.4
81.3 |
35.0
95 |
39.2
102.6 |
41.4
106.5 |
41.1
106 |
40.4
104.7 |
38.8
101.8 |
35.3
95.5 |
28.9
84 |
24.4
75.9 |
33.4
92.1 |
Average low |
°C
°F |
5.4
41.7 |
7.1
44.8 |
10.4
50.7 |
16.0
60.8 |
20.2
68.4 |
22.6
72.7 |
23.6
74.5 |
23.2
73.8 |
21.3
70.3 |
17.3
63.1 |
11.6
52.9 |
7.1
44.8 |
15.5
59.9 |
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