Luxor Temple Built Around 1,400 BC, Expanded by Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, and Alexander. Luxor Temple was built around 1,400 BC during the reign of Amenhotep III in honor of Amun, king of Egyptian gods Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, and Alexander the Great all added their unique contributions, expanding and redeveloping the site Ancient name was Ipet-resyt (the Southern Sanctuary), dedicated to royal renewal and the divinity of living kings
Luxor Temple built ~1,400 BC during Amenhotep III in honor of Amun, Mut, and Chons. Tutankhamun and Ramesses II each expanded it. Its original name was Ipet-resyt (the Southern Sanctuary). Built with sandstone, it sits on the east bank of the Nile (land of the living) and was connected to Karnak via the Avenue of Sphinxes.
Key Facts
- Luxor Temple was built around 1,400 BC during the reign of Amenhotep III in honor of Amun, king of Egyptian gods
- Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, and Alexander the Great all added their unique contributions, expanding and redeveloping the site
- Ancient name was Ipet-resyt (the Southern Sanctuary), dedicated to royal renewal and the divinity of living kings
- Built on sacred grounds with Nubian sandstone quarried and transported through the Nile
- Located on the east bank of the Nile (land of the living) and connected to Karnak via the Avenue of Sphinxes
- Features pylons, courtyards, colonnades, a hypostyle hall, and sanctuaries covered in hieroglyphs
- Diverse history includes Hellenistic columns, domes, and Christian, Coptic, and Islamic additions
- Buried beneath sand and temporary structures for centuries; after 150 years of excavation, it now stands open day and night
Related site: Luxor Temple — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: I Took a Sleeper Train to the Largest Temple in Egypt by Wandering Wolf