The Luxor Temple: The Monument That Has Never Stopped Being Used

The Luxor Temple is one of the most continuously occupied religious sites in the world. Built primarily by Amenhotep III around 1390 BC and extended by Ramesses II around 1260 BC, the temple was used for Egyptian religious ritual for over a thousand years. Then it was repurposed by the Romans as a fortress garrison. Then a Christian church was built inside it in the 4th century AD. Then a mosque was built over the church, and that mosque, the Mosque of Abu Haggag, still stands inside the ruins and is still in active use. The different layers of religion and power sitting on top of each other in a single complex are visible if you know where to look.

The temple is on the east bank of the Nile in modern Luxor, 3 kilometres south of Karnak. The Avenue of Sphinxes connecting the two temples has been largely excavated; the walk or cycling path between the two sites takes about 20 minutes and passes through the urban fabric of the modern city at several points.

What to See

The entrance pylon (the large trapezoidal gateway) is decorated with reliefs by Ramesses II celebrating the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites (1274 BC). The battle was a strategic stalemate; Ramesses claimed it as a victory in his monumental inscriptions and proceeded to have that claim carved on monuments throughout Egypt. The large colossus statues of Ramesses in front of the pylon are impressive, though one of the original obelisks was removed to Paris in 1836 and now stands in the Place de la Concorde. The remaining single obelisk gives you a sense of how imposing the pair would have been.

The inner colonnade corridor, built by Amenhotep III, has 14 papyrus-cluster columns with a ceiling missing but the original scale maintained. Walking through it in the early morning, before the tour groups arrive, with the light coming in at an oblique angle, is one of the better experiences available at any Egyptian site.

The inner sanctuary, where Amenhotep III’s original shrine remains partially intact, shows how the temple looked before Ramesses added his extensive extensions. The Abu Haggag Mosque visible at the upper level of the courtyard wall gives the site its strangest juxtaposition: an 11th-century mosque built on foundations 2,400 years older, still in use for Friday prayers.

The Sound and Light Show

The sound and light show at the Luxor Temple (running most evenings, separate ticket) is somewhat better than the one at Karnak. The atmospheric lighting on the colonnades and pylons is genuinely effective, and the acoustic narration, while occasionally overwrought, provides context. It runs about an hour. Check current scheduling with your hotel or the tourist office; timing changes seasonally.

The Avenue of Sphinxes

The restored Avenue runs from the Luxor Temple north to Karnak. Walking the full length in the early morning (before 8am) before the midday heat is the best way to cover both temples in one day. The sphinxes are not all original; some sections required restoration after excavation, and the quality varies. The overall effect of a 3-kilometre processional route is still striking.

Practical Notes

Entry to Luxor Temple costs 220 Egyptian pounds (about $7 USD). Opening hours are 6am to 9pm daily. The entrance is on the Nile corniche road, easily reached on foot from most Luxor hotels.

Avoid the midday period from 10am to 3pm June through September: the temperature at the open temple can reach 42C with no shade. Visiting in the late afternoon and staying for the transition to the illuminated evening period is an efficient use of time.

The Luxor Museum, 500 metres north along the corniche, has a small collection of exceptional quality: statues, mummified crocodiles, and the cache of statues found buried in the Luxor Temple courtyard in 1989. Admission is 140 Egyptian pounds and the quality-to-visitor ratio is among the best in Egypt.

Combine Luxor Temple with Karnak on the same day (morning at Karnak, afternoon Avenue walk, evening at Luxor) for maximum efficiency.