Luxor Temple

Historic Site in Luxor

Luxor Temple
CC BY-SA 4.0 / Diego Delso

The Luxor Temple, which was constructed around 1400 BCE, is an extensive temple complex situated on the east bank of the Nile River in Luxor, Egypt (formerly known as Thebes). The temple was referred to as ipet resyt in the Egyptian language, meaning “the southern sanctuary”, and was one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak. Unlike other temples in Thebes, Luxor Temple was not dedicated to a cult god or deified pharaoh in death. Rather, it was dedicated to the renewal of kingship, and it may have been the site where many pharaohs of Egypt were crowned, either in reality or conceptually.

The Luxor Temple complex features chapels built by Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, as well as by Alexander the Great. Other parts of the temple were constructed by Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, the temple and its surroundings served as a legionary fortress and the administrative center of the Roman government in the area. A chapel originally dedicated to the goddess Mut was transformed into a Tetrarchy cult chapel during the Roman period and later converted into a church.

The Luxor Temple, along with the other archaeological sites in Thebes, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

The Luxor Temple appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Luxor!

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Visiting Luxor Temple

Address: Luxor Temple, Luxor City, Luxor, Egypt
Duration: 2 hours

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