Luxor
The entrance Pylon to one of the most important Temples in ancient Egypt. Unlike the neighbouring Karnak Temple which was built and added to over a period of 1,000+ years, Luxor was built in the 14th & 13th centuries BC and is more straight forward in its plan. In other words you aren’t so likely to get lost wandering round!
Though feint after over 3,000 years, the Pylon is decorated with propaganda scenes of Ramesses II’s most famous victory at the Battle of Qadesh. Apparently it was a draw at best – but Ramesses didn’t let facts get in the way of his self aggrandisement. No change there then for military & political leaders over the years…..
Here he is, alone in his chariot firing arrows fearlessly.
The early evening sunlight’s golden glow was perfect for taking these shots.
Until the 19th century, Luxor Temple, along with many other ancient monuments had fallen into decay and was covered by sand. Here the 13th century mosque of Abu Haggag was allowed to remain after the excavations. So there it is, 8 metres up in the air, looking just a bit incongruous!
View of the peristyle hall leading to the 100 metre long processional colonnade (left) & me at the other end of the processional colonnade looking back to the entrance of the temple.
Alexander the Great on the walls of the sacred barge shrine. By making your conqueror a God, besides appealing to his ego, the Egyptian priests ensured that he would uphold their beliefs. Good tactics!
View into the Inner Sanctum.
Inner Sanctum
This area was changed into a Roman Temple and decorated as such.
This detail of the wall fresco looked a bit out of place in one of the most famous ancient Egyptian temples
The Avenue of the Sphinxes originally linked the Luxor & Karnak Temples. The Egyptian Government is trying to reinstate this “Sacred Way”, but has a few problems with some of the later buildings, such as the mosque that is on the right of this picture.
