Luxor Temple

Luxor Temple on the east bank of the Nile in ancient Thebes was the central sanctuary of the god Amun-Ra. It was built under Amenhotep III and enlarged by Ramesses II. Its sequence of colonnades, courts, and sanctuaries leads from open public spaces toward the mysteries of the sacred interior, while pylons and wall reliefs depict festivals, victories, and myths. During the Roman period, the temple was used as a fortress and the residence of the provincial governor. In 1989, archaeologists discovered a cache of statues of gods and kings nearby; they are now displayed in the Luxor Museum. The temple has formed part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

Luxor Temple is connected to Karnak by a three-kilometer Avenue of Sphinxes, along which sacred processions for the Opet Festival traveled in ancient times.