The Luxor Temple () is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city today known as Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was constructed approximately 1400 BCE. In the Egyptian language it was known as ipet resyt, "the southern sanctuary". It was one of the two primary temples on the east bank, the other being Karnak. Unlike the other temples in Thebes, Luxor temple is not dedicated to a cult god or a deified version of the pharaoh in death. Instead, Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).
To the rear of the temple are chapels built by Amenhotep III of the 18th Dynasty, and Alexander. Other parts of the temple were built by Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, the temple and its surroundings were a legionary fortress and the home of the Roman government in the area. During the Roman period a chapel inside the Luxor Temple originally dedicated to the goddess Mut was transformed into a Tetrarchy cult chapel and later into a church.
Along with the other archeological sites in Thebes, the Luxor Temple was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Construction
thumb|left|upright|The original [[Luxor Obelisks|two obelisks, as seen in 1832. The one on the right is now in Paris, known as the Luxor Obelisk.]]
The Luxor Temple was built with sandstone from the Gebel el-Silsila area, which is located in South-Western Egypt. This sandstone is referred to as Nubian sandstone. For example, to the Egyptian, a sanctuary shaped like an Anubis jackal was really Anubis. They have concluded that Luxor is the temple dedicated to the divine Egyptian ruler or, more precisely, to the cult of the Royal Ka. which went in a straight line for about between the Luxor Temple and the Karnak area was lined with human-headed sphinxes; in ancient times it is probable that these replaced earlier sphinxes which may have had different heads. Along the avenue the stations were set up for ceremonies such as the Feast of Opet which held significance to the temple.
Abu Haggag Mosque
thumb|upright=1.3|right|The Abu Haggag Mosque seen from the east
The active Abu Haggag Mosque () is located within the temple, standing on the ancient columns themselves. That part of the Luxor Temple was converted to a church by the Romans in 395 AD, and then to a mosque around 640 AD, which is more than 3,400 years of continuous religious worship.
Defacement
In 2013, a Chinese student posted a picture of engraved writing that read "Ding Jinhao was here" () in Chinese on a sculpture. This discovery spurred debate about increased tourism after the media confirmed a Chinese student caused this and other defacements. The graffiti has since been partially cleared.
Gallery
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px" widths="140px">
File:Luxor-Tempel Sanktuar Amenophis III. 01.jpg|Sanctuary of Luxor Temple
Templo de Luxor, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-01, DD 23.jpg|Sun court of Amenhotep III
File:Luxor, Luxor Temple, sphinx alley at night, Egypt, Oct 2004.jpg|The Avenue of Sphinxes at night
File:Templo de Luxor, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-01, DD 03.jpg|Pylon and Obelisk of Ramesses II
Templo de Luxor, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-01, DD 22.jpg|The Grand Colonnade
Templo de Luxor, Luxor, Egipto, 2022-04-01, DD 32.jpg|Barque Shrine of Theban Triad
File:Luxor Temple at night, Luxor, Egypt.jpg|First pylon at night
File:Luxor temple45.JPG|A double statue of Amun and Mut with the facial features of Tutankhamun and Ankhesenamun, respectively.
</gallery>
See also
- Temple of Khonsu
- Luxor Museum