Event: Egypt - Luxor

Luxor Temple

When:	Daily
Where:	Luxor Temple
Opening Hours:	Oct-May: daily 7am-9pm; Jun-Sep: daily 6am-10pm

Located on the east bank of the River Nile in Luxor, Luxor Temple was largely built by Amenhotep III in the 14th century BC and expanded 100 years later by Rameses II.

Luxor Temple was initially the sacred venue for many ancient Egyptian rituals, including the famous Opet Festival, which entailed parading a cult statue of Amun (God) down the Nile to spend some time with his consort Mut (mother-goddess) in a celebration of fertility.

During Rome's domination the temple was turned into a Christian centre and by the time the Arab conquerors arrived, the site was largely buried underneath accumulated river silt. Several constructions were built on top of the original Luxor Temple, including the 13th-century Mosque of Abu el-Haggag, which was preserved during excavation works and today hangs eight metres above the temple.

Some of the most interesting archaeological findings you can see at Luxor Temple are the sphinxes lining the main entrance, two of the six colossal statues of Rameses and the 25-metre pink granite obelisk, whose exact match now stands in the centre of the Place de la Concorde in Paris.