The ancient Egyptian city of Thebes still leaves a good example of what it was. It is true that it is already in the form of ruins, but one of which is well worth a visit. On this walk we will meet him Luxor Temple. One of the most iconic places in the history of Egypt.
So much so that we can still notice how part of history and even its legends, they still rest in this place. Today we will take a tour of all this, we will look back and discover everything it hides, which is not a few details. Shall we go into the Temple of Luxor?
Where is the Luxor Temple located
It bears this name precisely because it is located in Luxor, which is a town that rose in the place of Thebes. being this, as surely you already know, the capital of ancient Egypt. Next to the river Nile is Luxor, which is one of the main areas, as we say. Area that has a desert and that reaches 40º and more, in summer time. The name of the place is given thanks to the palaces or temples that were in it: Both the one that today is the protagonist and dedicated to Amun-Ra and that of Karnak. So if you want to see the Luxor Temple you will have to go into the city because it is in the center of it.
The history of the Temple
This temple was built during the New Kingdom. In addition, it is linked to another that we just mentioned, which is that of Karnak. It was a kind of avenue that both places shared and it was full of sphinxes. So the area of the temple is becoming more than wide. It is one of the places that had many parts to discover. As an important fact, it must be known that it was built by two pharaohs who were Amenhotep III who was in charge of raising the interior area. On the other hand, the second of the Pharaohs was Ramses II who took it upon himself to complete it.
Although they were the main ones, it is true that there were others who added details to this place, in the form of decorative appliques like the ones he placed Tutankhamun and even Alexander the Great. Since in Roman times it became one of the most important military camps. It is true that over the years important parts have been lost, but many others still remain. You can see the patios and rooms, which still have their own tiles.
The main parts of the Luxor temple
Of course, the pharaohs spared no expense when it came to building a temple dedicated to a god. In this case, it was meant for the God of the sky and the sun. So something had to be done according to all of this. So, on the one hand, we find the well-known 'dromos'. A name that is equivalent to an avenue or central part to be able to be crossed. When you reached the front door, you were greeted by two large obelisks. Although it must be clarified that one of them was taken to the Plaza de la Concorde in Paris.
Even so, we are struck by two statues that are seated on each side and that also give the best of welcomes. Since as we say, they are in front of the entrance and are images of Ramses II. Once inside you can admire the patio area, as well as the colonnade or the atrium. Key pieces of the temple itself. In a matter of rooms we find the room of offerings as well as the room dedicated to Mut who was the Goddess of heaven and also another, dedicated to Jonsu who was the lunar God. Not forgetting the birth chamber and the various sanctuaries. Not forgetting that also in the northern part, it has a mosque, thus combining Egyptian and Islamic details.
How much does the entrance to the Temple cost?
The truth is that Luxor has endless corners to discover. So when we want to do it completely and not just facing the temple, it is advisable to opt for a guide. In the case of the temple, it is also a good option for all the parts it has and for all the stories in each of them. The price of the visit to the Temple of Luxor It is 7,50 euros, which to the change in the Egyptian pound is about 140 EGP. While the neighboring temple, Karnak has a price of 150 EGP that would be about 8 euros (You have it just a couple of kilometers and connected by the avenue of the Sphinxes). This one also has an open-air museum, for which we can pay 80 EGP, that is, 4,27 euros. Remember that the hours may vary, so it is better to inquire before.
When to enjoy visiting the Luxor Temple?
It is true that we always opt for the summer season to do this type of trip. Because that's when we really have the holidays. But in this case the autumn months. More than anything because in summer the temperatures are really high, rising to 40º. Besides that there is more agglomeration of people. It is true that finding this almost empty place is a very complicated task. But moving away from the most characteristic months and opting for the autumnal ones, we can walk a bit more relaxed.