Deets On Eats

View Original

TOURING EGYPT: Luxor by Whirlwhind

TD

Dear Foodie Fam,

Hot Pink Travel hooked us up with Mohammad and Hagag, who swept us from Hotel Sheherazade to places I'd only dreamt of seeing.

I literally mean it. When I first learned about these places, I was having dreams about the photos at night and wishing I would wake up there, too!

TIP BEFORE WE BEGIN: If you go anywhere in Egypt- don't accept random favors from anyone if they offer it, themselves. Also, do no entertain any vendors at any major tourist sites (they will not leave you and are known to be very aggressive and sometimes belligerent)!

 

Colossi of Memnon 

The Colossi are colossal stone statues built in 1350 BC of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (13th Dynasty) with his wife and mother at his feet. They were originally guards of Amenhotep’s mortuary temple which was the largest temple (larger than the Temple of Karnak) until it was eaten away by the Nile floodplain. An unknown phenomena causes a “singing” sound that happens around sunset at one of these statues. 

Valley of the Kings  وادي الملوك‎ 

You know about the Valley of the Kings even if you don’t. It’s where Pharaohs (from 16 to 11 centuries BC) were buried and their tombs, later excavated. This is where archaeological and Egyptological studies swarmed until the 18th century. 

There’s 63 tombs and chambers and almost all have been robbed, vandalized or excavated. The search for the last King, King Tut’s amazingly intact tomb (check out my Egyptian museum post) brought The Valley of the Kings back into the spotlight and in 1979, the Valley became a World Heritage Site. 

Up to 5,000 tourists visit the main valley, weekly though only a rotation of 18 tombs are open to the public so as to protect the surfaces. There’s also no photography allowed within tombs, 

Mortuary Temple of Hathshepsut

My favorite figure in Egyptian history is Hathshepsut so it was surreal seeing this complex rebuilt. She ruled in 1478 BC and was the only child of Thutmose II and his 1st wife. After her father died, per tradition, she was given to her 2-year-old brother (the son of the 2nd wife) in marriage to co-rule. Hathshepsut, herself, could only manage to carry a daughter for the new pharaoh.

Most Egyptologists regard Hathshepsut as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning 21 years, donning full pharaonic regalia, fighting wars but known for a period of peace. After renewing international trade relationships lost in earlier years, she amassed enough wealth to build beautiful Ancient Egyptian architecture unrivaled by other cultures for 1,000s of years. 

This was originally built in the 18th dynasty for Hathshepsut by her chancellor, Senenmut. The space is dedicated to the sun god, Amun. There's three layered terraces and once there was a sculpture of Osiris, a grand avenue of Sphinxes and lots of sculptures of Hathshepsut. These were destroyed by her stepson after her death. Curious light boxes allow the sun's ight to travel across the temple walls and illuminate different figures in the art. This complex is the most similar to Classical architecture.

Temple of Karnak

This is the 2nd most visited historical site in Egypt! Construction started  at the time of Senusret I (12th dynasty) and ended in the reign of Nectanebo (29th dynasty). 

Entering Karnak, I felt my breath knocked out of me and I felt so tiny.

You have to understand: this huge complex which is amazingly intact is almost like a monumental architectural scrapbook of sorts for so many pharaohs! It's got so much gorgeous features because so many were trying to top each other, too. 

The area was part of Ipet-isut, ("The Most Selected of Places") and it's where a lot of worship took place. The space is massive! The range of gods this place was built to serve is also staggering- amazingly old gods and even more modern monotheistic ones. 

The general public is only allowed to see a quarter of it- the part dedicated to Amun Ra. The famed Hypostyle Hall is 50,000 square feet and has 16 rows of columns totaling 134- some reaching a height of almost 69 feet! That's the part you've seen in lots of photos. This place is also featured in so much pop culture: Transformers, Lara Croft, The Mummy Returns, Death on the Nile, The Sims, Stargate, Battlestar Galactica…

Temple of Luxor

This is Ipet Resyt, "the southern sanctuary". There’s many great temples in Luxor, but this is where the restoration of Kingship was celebrated and many Pharaohs were crowned.

Tutankhamun, Ramesses II, Amenhotep III and Alexander all built parts of this temple! This was a legionary fortress during the Roman era. During the Christian era, part of this temple was a Christian church. There's also a Coptic church. The most interesting appearance is that of  the Sufi Shaykh Yusuf Abu al-Hajjaj mosque built thousands of years later atop the temple. After excavation, it now perches above those walking along the temple ruins! 

The temple was the center of importance to the Opet Festival in which a statue of Amun was taken down the nile from Karnak temple to stay with the Mut statue to celebrate fertility! We’re told that Luxor is hoping to build the Avenue of the Sphinxes, again.

Writing this blog makes me feel like no matter what happens down the road, I will always have this dream realized and I'm eternally thankful for it.

Sources