Luxor Temple is situated along the Nile, about 2 km south of Karnak.

Unlike Karnak, Luxor Temple was not dedicated to the gods, but was build for ceremonial purposes like the crowning of the new pharao and the Opet festival.

Alexander the Great was crowned here, or so he said.

First constructions started around 1400 BC under Amenhotep III and successive rulers completed and changed the place.

 

Under Roman rule the temple doubled as military barracks and later the Christians used it as a church.

Later again the area became part of the city of Luxor and over the centuries a layer of rubble covered most of the temple and a mosque was build on top of it.

Serious excavations started in 1960.

 

Originally an avenue with 1350 sphinxes connected Luxor Temple with Karnak. Several of those beasts were restored by Nectanebo I, around 370 BC.

 

We visiited Luxor Temple in November 2002.