Architecture Around the World.....................Egyptian / Egyptian Revival Architecture - Table of Contents

Luxor Temple, Egypt - Table of Contents

Luxor Temple, Egypt

TEXT Beneath Illustrations



Click on illustrations for larger size -- and additional information

Left: Great Pylon built by Ramses II
Right: Courtyard of Ramses II

 

 

Colonnade with closed papyrus capitals

Colonnade with closed papyrus capitals

Pharaoh

Capitals feature volutes

Colonnade has open-flower papyrus columns, which still support their huge architrave blocks.

Smooth columns.
Bundled papyrus
columns with closed capitals

Hieroglyphics

Colonnades

Courtyard

Hypostyle

Hypostyle hieroglyphics

Hieroglyphics

Pharaoh


The temple was uncovered in 1883 by Gaston Maspero.

Originally the columns were painted in bright colors.

Luxor Temple is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the River Nile in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was founded in 1400 B.C.E.

Known in the Egyptian language as ipet resyt, or "the southern sanctuary", the temple was dedicated to the Theban Triad of
Amun, Mut, and Chons and was built during the New Kingdom, the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby [northern] Karnak Temple (ipet-isut) to stay there for a while, with his consort Mut, in a celebration of fertility  - whence its name.

The main part of the temple - the colonnade and the sun court were built by Amenhotep III, and a later addition by Rameses II, who built the entrance pylon, and the two obelisks (one of which was given to France, and is now at the center of the Place de la Concorde) linked the Hatshepsut buildings with the main temple.

To the rear of the temple are chapels built by Tuthmosis III, and Alexander.


During the Roman era, the temple and its surroundings were a legionary fortress and the home of the Roman government in the area.

- Wikipedia: Luxor Temple 11/09


Photos and their arrangement © 2009 Chuck LaChiusa
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