The modern Thebes

As a sword, the Nile Luxor cut in two: the modern city with the village of Karnak on the one hand, and the old cemetery on the other side of the shore. Tradition and serenity mingle with the bustle of the metropolis. Beneath the quiet streets, where children play in the dust, where vans loudly argue, is the location of the “Thebes of a hundred doors”, the famous capital of the eighteenth dynasty. Called Luxor by the Arabs (which means “palace” or “fortified”), this is regarded as the largest open-air museum in the world. The magnitude of architectural masterpieces will leave an indelible trace in your memory.

On a felucca, letting you drag along the Nile, you will have ample time to admire these Pharaonic monuments and colossal superbly preserved.

History Luxor

ccording to the excavation, archaeologists believe that the site was inhabited for at least 6000 years. At the end of the Old Kingdom, Thebes succeeds Memphis as the capital of Upper Egypt. It then worships the god Amon and it is undertaking a large-scale project. The Temple of Karnak is the main witness. During the Middle Kingdom, Thebes (called Waset at that time) manages to override Héracléopolis who was then the capital of Lower Egypt.

Around 1700 BC, the Hyksos invaded Lower Egypt. The Egyptians will be able to hunt the intruder only a century later, building the foundations of the New Empire. All the pharaohs of the XVIIIth dynasty reside in Thebes. The city growth of the population. It is then at its height.

The beginning of its decline is felt in 627 BC during the ransacking of Luxor by Assourbanipal. Homes popular brick temples once glorious. Thereafter, the Romans transformed the place into a fortified camp. With the arrival of Christianity, there are churches rising everywhere. The testimony of Pharaonic gods are then removed from the stone. Then, in the seventh century, mosques appear with the arrival of Muslims in power. The temples sink in the sand and into oblivion.

Thanks to Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt that interest in the Pharaonic era reborn. The excavation began in 1833. Two colossal granite from 15 metres tall sitting on their thrones are discovered near the Temple of Luxor. Today, Luxor is one of the most popular destinations in Egypt. The inhabitants live mainly from tourism.