Temple of Luxor

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Temple of Luxor

Luxor, Egypt: obelisk

Stone face of the Colossus of Ramesses II wearing a tall crown and false beard at the Temple of Luxor in Thebes, Egypt.

hypostyle hall; Temple of Luxor

Tourists gather at night in the illuminated outer court of the Temple of Luxor, with large seated statues of King Ramses II and an obelisk in Luxor, Egypt.

Luxor temple complex

Temple of Luxor

monument, Luxor, Egypt

Also known as: Ipet resyt

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July 16, 2026

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Temple of Luxor — Temple of Luxor Ancient Egyptian obelisk and statuary in the Temple of Luxor, Thebes, Egypt.

The Temple of Luxor is an ancient Egyptian temple complex located in Luxor, Egypt, on the east bank of the Nile River. It was commissioned by King Amenhotep III of the late 18th dynasty to honor the gods Amon, Mut, and Khons. The temple was later expanded by Ramses II, who added a court and a pylon.

Over centuries, the site was adapted for other uses. A Christian church was built within the temple, and later, a mosque was constructed over its foundations. The modern city of Luxor, meaning "The Palaces," grew around the temple. The Temple of Luxor, along with other nearby sites like Karnak and the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.12

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Luxor
The ancient ruins
The original part of the Temple of Luxor consisted of a large peristyle court and a complex of halls and chambers beyond. In one hall is a granite shrine of Alexander the Great. The great peristyle forecourt is surrounded on three sides by a double row of graceful papyrus-cluster columns,…
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The original part of the Temple of Luxor consisted of a large peristyle court and a complex of halls and chambers beyond. In one hall is a granite shrine of Alexander the Great. The great peristyle forecourt is surrounded on three sides by a double row of graceful papyrus-cluster columns,…
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ancient Egypt
Amenhotep III
…huge third pylon, and at Luxor he dedicated a magnificent new temple to Amon. The king’s own mortuary temple in western Thebes was unrivaled in its size; little remains of it today, but its famous Colossi of Memnon testify to its proportions. He also built a huge harbor and palace…
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…huge third pylon, and at Luxor he dedicated a magnificent new temple to Amon. The king’s own mortuary temple in western Thebes was unrivaled in its size; little remains of it today, but its famous Colossi of Memnon testify to its proportions. He also built a huge harbor and palace…
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Opet
…shrines at Karnak to the temple of Luxor (called Ipet resyt in pharaonic Egyptian, hence the name of the festival). Scenes of the festival in the Colonnade of the Temple of Luxor carved during Tutankhamen’s reign (1333–23 bce) show priests carrying statues of Amon, Mut, and Khons in barks through…
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…shrines at Karnak to the temple of Luxor (called Ipet resyt in pharaonic Egyptian, hence the name of the festival). Scenes of the festival in the Colonnade of the Temple of Luxor carved during Tutankhamen’s reign (1333–23 bce) show priests carrying statues of Amon, Mut, and Khons in barks through…
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Egyptian art and architecture
Cult temples
…the most satisfying is the Luxor Temple, started by Amenhotep III of the 18th dynasty. The original design consists of an imposing open court with colonnades of graceful lotus columns, a smaller offering hall, a shrine for the ceremonial boat of the god, an inner sanctuary for the cult image,…
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…the most satisfying is the Luxor Temple, started by Amenhotep III of the 18th dynasty. The original design consists of an imposing open court with colonnades of graceful lotus columns, a smaller offering hall, a shrine for the ceremonial boat of the god, an inner sanctuary for the cult image,…
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Amon
…worshipped at the Temple of Luxor on the east bank of Thebes and at Madīnat Habu (Medinet Habu) on the west bank.
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…worshipped at the Temple of Luxor on the east bank of Thebes and at Madīnat Habu (Medinet Habu) on the west bank.
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