Luxor, a living history

Luxor: The Greatest Open-Air Museum of the World

Luxor, once part of ancient Thebes, boasts a rich history that spans over 1350 years from 2100 BC to 750 BC. The city is home to awe-inspiring monuments of an ancient civilization and is considered the world's greatest open-air museum. The Egyptians constructed several architectural works of art, including palaces, monuments, temples, and tombs, making Luxor extremely rich in relics that tell the story of ancient Egypt's glorious history.

The east bank of the Nile, also known as the city of the living, houses the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the largest place of worship ever built. On the west bank, visitors can marvel at the colossi of Memnon, the tombs of the valleys of kings and queens, and several commemorative temples and tombs of important officials.

Taking a walk through the annals of history, visitors can witness statues with heads of gods and animals and pillars carved with lotus buds and papyrus. They can also ride in a horse-drawn caleche, sail in a felucca, take a sunset cruise or see the city from a hot-air balloon.

Luxor is known as the "hundred-gated city" because its buildings and large gates grew over the years. The Arab, impressed by its beautiful palaces and massive edifices, renamed it Luxor-city of palaces. The city is made immortal by its huge pillared monuments along both banks of the Nile, where the sun rises in the city of the living in the east and bids adieu to life in the "city of the dead" in the west.

Luxor is a major attraction for tourists in Egypt and has been a tourist destination since the beginning of tourism. Even in ancient times, during the late dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area drew tourists, and it has been doing so ever since. Today, Luxor is well equipped to accommodate tourists with many hotels and a tourist industry ready and willing to serve the people from the many countries that descend on this area of the Nile valley every year.

Monumental Values

The number and preservation of monuments in Luxor are unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Visitors can explore and appreciate the following:

The Colossi of Memnon

 Towering at 19.20m, these are the only remnants of a temple commemorating Amenhotep |||. The Greeks named them after Memnon, the legendary hero killed in the Trojan Wars. Each morning, he called his mother Eos, the dawn goddess, who bewailed him, shedding tears that transformed into dewdrops.

Deir el Bahari Temple

 Built by Queen Hatshepsut to perform the rites of the nether world, this temple is composed of three impressive rising terraces, split by a road. Deir el-Bahary is a fairly recent nomenclature from the 7th century B.C. when the Copts used it as a monastery.

Madinet Habu

 Its well-preserved character is built in commemoration of Ramses |||, with religious and military scenes. The paintings still retain their vivid and vibrant colors.

Temple of Dendera

 This Graeco-Roman temple lies about 60km north of Luxor and was first initiated by Ptolemy |||, with numerous additions by subsequent Roman Ptolemaic rulers. It houses a famous painting of Queen Cleopatra and is renowned for its horoscopic inscriptions.

Temple of Esna: 

Located south of Luxor, the temple has a hypostyle hall with pictures and texts telling of the Roman emperors who came to Egypt and offered sacrifices.

Luxor, also known as the hundred-gated city, was so-called by the renowned Greek historian Homer because its buildings and large gates grew

In addition to these remarkable sites, Luxor is also home to the awe-inspiring temples of Karnak and Luxor on the east bank of the Nile. Karnak, the largest place of worship ever built, is a complex of sanctuaries, pylons, and chapels. The temple of Luxor, once connected to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes, is another impressive structure with its grand entrance, huge statues, and intricate hieroglyphic carvings.

But Luxor is more than just a collection of ancient monuments. It is a living, breathing city with a vibrant tourist industry ready to welcome visitors from around the world. You can take a stroll through the streets, past markets, and shops selling local crafts, enjoy a ride in a horse-drawn carriage, or even sail in a felucca, a traditional wooden sailboat.

And for a truly breathtaking experience, take a sunset cruise along the Nile or soar above the city in a hot-air balloon. From above, you can see the grandeur of the temples and the lush green fields stretching out along the Nile, giving you a new perspective on this ancient city.

Luxor has a rich and storied history, from its days as the seat of power for ancient Egypt to its current status as one of the world's top tourist destinations. But it is also a city of contrasts, with the bustling activity of the markets and the tranquil beauty of the Nile. A visit to Luxor is not just a trip through the annals of history, but a chance to experience a truly unique and unforgettable destination.

Today, visitors can take a walk through the annals of history, past statues with heads of gods and animals, and beneath pillars carved with lotus buds and papyrus. They can ride in a horse-drawn caleche, sail in a felucca, take a sunset cruise, or see the city from a hot-air balloon. With so many options to explore this magnificent city, there is never a dull moment in Luxor.