Luxor




Now here else in the world has such wealth of antiquities of mankind been preserved as it has been in Luxor. This which welcome visitors from all the countries of the ancient world . Having conquered Egypt , the Arabs bemused by its tall buildings and impressed temples called it " El Qusur" meaning "The Castles".

Located 670km south of Cairo, Luxor still attracts thousands of visitors, from east and west alike who come to admire its vestiges. Each step they take covers a historic era, each stone recalls a legend.

Named by the Greek poet Homer " Thebes the Thousand Gates" , Luxor was the centre of power for almost 1500 years. Luxor which means in Arabic " The Palaces" reflects its rich array of magnificent temples and tombs.

Within the confines of Luxor are some of the grandest monuments of the ancient world.


The Temp of Luxor
It has huge papyrus columns and was dedicated to the god Amun. One of its striking aspects are the remain of an ancient Christian Church and Abu Haggag Mosque. Three religions represented in one place.


The Temples of Karnak
They consist of several temples of great beauty , 3 km north of the temp of Luxor. the two temples , in the past , were linked by an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes. the important temples in Karnak are the temples of the god Amun , his wife the goddess Mut, their son Khonsy the god of the moon and of Ptah . Other significant landmarks are Sacred Lake, the Hypostyle hall , and some colossal statues.


The most important tombs in the valley of the kings are:
   ► The tomb of Tutankhamon.
   ► The tomb of Seti I.
   ► The tomb of Amenhotep II.
   ► The tomb of Amenophis II.
   ► The tomb of Ramses II.
   ► The tomb of Ramses III.
   ► The tomb of Ramses IV.
   ► The tomb of Horemheb.
   ► The tomb of Toutmosis III.


The most important tombs in the valley of the Queens are:
   ► The tomb of Queen Nefertari ( wife of Ramses II ).
   ► The tomb of Queen Tity.


Luxor Museum
The Luxor Museum lies on the East Bank and contains an important
collection of Egyptian kingdoms.


Sound & Light Show at Karnak
The history and drama of the temple of Karnak are presented every evening in an unforgettable show at the hung complex of Karnak.

   ► English language shows are held every day .
   ► French shows also are everyday except Tuesday.
   ► German shows are on Wednesday.
   ► Italian shows are on Tuesday and Saturday.
   ► Spanish shows are on Monday and Friday.
   ► Arabic shows is on every Thursday and .
   ► Japanese show is on Tuesday.

Edfu




The city of Edfu lies 123km North of Aswan and is of easy access . It has a first - class hotel on the Eastern Bank of the Nile . its most important visiting site is the temple of Edfu on the western bank of the Nile dedicated to the god hours.

A lofty edifice, it is one of the most beautiful Egyptian temples, combining Egyptian and Greek architectural arts.

Its construction started late in 237 B.C. in the days of Ptolemy III , but plots and revolutions delayed its completion until 52 B.C.

The walls of the temple relate the history of the Ptolemy's and shed light on the religious beliefs and artistic schools of that era.

Kom Ombo




Its most important monument is the temple of Kom Ombo which rises on a cliff by the Nile , and dates from the Ptolemaic era. There are also some tombs that date from the Old kingdom.

Kom Ombo lies 45 km from Aswan ,to which it linked by a tarmac road.

Aswan




Aswan is Egypt's premier winter resort (10 to 24 °C) offering a delightful , natural beauty, a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere with a warm and dry climate.

A wide variety of ancient monuments and the peaceful beauty of the countryside draw visitors here throughout the winter months.

Lying 899 km south of Cairo , it has long been known as the " Gate of Africa ". The contact point between Arabian , North Africa and Sud -Saharan cultures. Much of its charms come from the Nile River , which runs through it, as well as from a number of small lush islands in the Nile ; such as the Elephantine Island , It is considered one of the oldest inhabited places in Aswan , a centre of worship during the Pharaonic era . South of Aswan stands the High Dam , one of the world's outstanding engineering features in this country. Its construction in the early 1960's created an enormous reservoir, Lake Nasser , the largest artificial lake in the world.


The High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk
The old Aswan Dam was build in1898 . It is contracted from granite quarried in the Aswan area . The official opening took place in 1902. In the 1960's another dam was build by the Egyptian government . A visit is also made to the unfinished obelisk, which gives a great deal of information about how the original builders set out their tasks . The existence of granite in the Aswan area was of particular interest to the ancient pharaohs since it provided them with a ready source of material for their obelisks and temples..


The Island Tour
For a delightful excursion , visitors go by sail boat to the small granite islands of the Nile , including the elephantine and Kitchener (or Botanic) islands. Also included in the tour is a visit to Agha Kan Mausoleum , situated on the top of a hill that commands a magnificent view of the Aswan area. It was there that Mohamed Shah Agha Kan , the 48 Imam born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1877, build a winter home and choose to be buried . he died in 1959 and wishes ware carried out.


Main Tourist Sites in Aswan

High Dam:
It was build in 1902 , raised once in 1912 and again 1933.

Philae Island:
It is situated between the Aswan Dam and the High Dam , and on it rises the Philae Temple unmatched in beauty and Majesty.

The Aswan Museum:
The small museum has a collection of antiquities discovered in Aswan and Nubia area, such as the mummy of the Sacred Ram which represented the god Khnum.

The Tombs of the Nobles:
They date from the 23rd century B.C. , and lie on the cliff on the west bank of the Nile

The Temple of Isis :
Started by Ptolemy ||| , continued by Ptolemy IV , but never completed.

Abu Simble




Of all the temples of Egyptian antiquity , the most spectacular and one of the best preserved is the temple of Abu Simble situated on the west bank of the Nile , 280 km south of Aswan . They ware build between 1300 and 1233 B.C.

The Master builder was Ramses II , one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs. Ramses II Build two magnificent temples with the grandest and most complete example of ancient Egyptian architecture. The larger temple celebrates the pharaoh himself, while the smaller one honours his wife Queen Nefertari. The temples , built originally to impress the Nubians with the power and glory of the New Kingdom , continue to cast their spell on visitors to this day.

When the Aswan High Dam's project threatened to submerge the temples, an international salvage actions under the auspices of UNESCO conceived the almost audacious plan of moving to a higher level. As a result , the buildings themselves as well as part of the surrounding rocks were hewn into blocks of thirty tonnes each and build up again in and around a concrete skeleton framework, sixty four meter higher up and one hundred and eighty meters further inland.

The Great Temple was dedicated to the god Re-Harakhti , the god of the rising Sun.

The second temple, smaller than the first rises a few meters away from it. It was build by Ramses for his beautiful wife Nefertari , to be worshipped there with another goddess, Hater.

The two temples attraction of the world when they were threatened by the waters of the High Dam.

Responding to Egypt's appeal , UNESCO organized a donation campaign in 1959, to save part of the oldest civilization in the world..