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Valley of the Queens: view more than 70 burial sites at what is the final resting place of wives and offspring of pharaohs hailing from the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties. The most famous tomb at the site, that of Queen Nefertiti, is unfortunately now closed to visitors; however, the tomb of Amenherkhepshef and the tomb of Queen Tyti are still open. Valley of the Kings: is not quite on a par with the Great Pyramids in terms of grandeur, but offers some greater insights into Egyptian beliefs with regards to the afterlife. Visitors are permitted access to over 30 tombs; however, it would take considerable time to visit all, so most tourists settle for seeing somewhere less than 10. Temple of Luxor: largely the work of King Ramses II and King Amenhotep III, this temple was built as a centre around which the proceedings of the Festival of Opet could be focused. This magnificent building includes a variety of different sections, each notable in its own right with the Court of Ramses II, the Court of Amenhotep II, the Mosque of Abu'l Haggag and the Pylons, among the most distinctive. Temple of Karnak: not a single temple, so much as a temple complex, Karnak or Ipet-isut as the ancient Egyptians called it, is over 2,000 years old and was constructed to pay tribute to Amon, Mut and Khonsu, otherwise known as the Theben triad. A whopping 200 acres of land are covered by the complex and the largest structure here is capable of housing the cathedrals of Milan, Notre Dame and St Peter’s at the same time with a 54,000sqft hall as its focal point. Avenue of the Sphinxes: this three-kilometre-long stretch is what is left of a walkway that was built originally for the purpose of connecting the temples of Luxor and Karnak. An annual festival saw the avenue awash with visitors coming to pay tribute to the images of Amon, Mut and Khonsu which were ceremonially transported down its length. Today the avenue is home to some interesting Sphinx remains. | |
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