The Temple of Luxor

The main areas of the Temple of Luxor were erected over the course of a 150 year period during the Egyptian New Kingdom. An earlier shrine from the period of the co-regency of Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III that once may have occupied the site has long been dismantled and re-used by later pharaohs. Large scale projects began during the reign of Amenophis III with the construction of the sandstone temple at the rear of the complex. They reached their climax with the addition of the spacious peristyle court and massive pylon gateway of Ramesses II.

The Egyptian name for the Temple of Luxor was the “Southern Opet”, or the “Southern Sanctuary of Seclusion”. It served as principal residence for Amenemopet, “Amun of the Opet”, a unique manifestation of the national god, Amun. Amenemopet presided over Luxor as a cosmic creator and as a god of fertility, often being represented in ithyphallic form. At Luxor, the king shared a mystic relationship with Amun – the temple becoming a mythical power base for the divine king. It also played host to the most important events in the festival calendar of Thebes – the Beautiful Festival of Opet. Every year the sacred image of Amun of Karnak would visit the shrine of Amun of Opet at Luxor. The accompanying rituals celebrated the re-birth of Amun and were critical to the rejuvenation of the office of divine kingship.

Date of Construction: Earliest sanctuary built during reigns of Hatshepsut/Tuthmosis III (1472 – 1457 B.C.); Main Amun sanctuary dates to reign of Amenophis III (1398 – 1358 B.C.); later additions under Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb and most notably by Ramesses II (1279 – 1212 B.C.)

Highlights:
Colossal statuary and obelisk of Ramesses II
Grand Colonnade (Amenophis III / Tutankhamun)
Opet Festival reliefs
Scenes of divine birth and coronation of Amenophis III
Mosque of Abu el-Haggag (13th century AD)

Your personal expert guide to The Temple of Luxor: £2.99

 

1. Introduction to Luxor Temple - 1:59
2. Pylon, Statuary & Twin Obelisks - 1:59
3. Peristyle Court of Ramesses II - 0:48
4. Procession of the Mineral Regions - 1:02
5. Shrines to the Theban Triad - 0:58
6. The Grand Colonnade - 2:55
7. Forecourt of Amenophis III - 2:03
8. Sanctuary of Amun - 0:47
9. Divine Birth Room & Coronation Room - 1:49
10. The Shrine of Amun of Opet - 0:53
11. The Campaigns of Ramesses II - 3:29
12. The Battle of Kadesh - 4:01
13. The Beautiful Festival of Opet - 3:03

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