This temple was built in Thebes during the
New Kingdom
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Construction
- It is dedicated to the to the Theban Triad of Amun, his wife Mut, and his son Khonsu
- It was the focus of the annual Opet Festival, in which a cult statue of Amun was paraded down the Nile from nearby Karnak Temple
- Construction Began by Amenhotep 3
- Horemheb and Tutankhamen. added columns, statues, and friezes
- Major expansion efforts by Ramses 2 100 years later.
Architectural Layout
- Entrance - A 200 meters avenue of human-headed sphinxes erected by Nectanebo 1 leads to the 24 meter high pylon erected by Ramses 2. Six granite statues of Ramses 2 stood before the pylon, but only three remain today with one of an original pair of tall obelisks. The northwest obelisk now stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris. The pylon was decorated with scenes of Ramses' 2 military triumph in the Battle of Kadesh
- Ramses 2 Peristyle Courtyard - this court is oddly out of alignment with the axis established by the other pre-existent buildings. A colonnade of papyrus type columns with lotus -bud capitals, surrounded all four sides of the court, Columns are interspaced with colossal statues of Ramses 2, many of which he usurped from Amenhotep 3
- Chapels of Amun, Mut and Khonsu - small shrine built during the reigns of Thutmose 3 and Hatshepsut It consists if three contiguous deep shrines for the barques of the three deities, preceded by a porch with four columns
- Colonnade - constructed by Amenhotep 3, a 100 meter corridor lined by 14 papyrus capital columns standing 19 meters high. Friezes on the wall describe the stages in the Opet Festival, from sacrifices at Karnak through Amun's arrival at Luxor, and concluding with his return on the opposite side. The decorations were put in place by the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamen, but his names have been replaced with those of Horemheb.
- Peristyle Courtyard - this courts was constructed by Amenhotep 3 and is known as "The sun court" It is 52m in length and 46m in width, and has a double row of clustered round papyrus bud columns on three sides.
- Hypostyle hall - this hall is known as the "Hall of Appearance" and is blended in almost imperceptibly with the Sun Court.
It has four rows of eight columns. Reliefs on both sides of the front wall depict the coronation of Amenhotep 3 by the gods
A central doorway leads to the 1st antechamber, on both sides of this door there are 2 long chapels to Mut and Khonsu - 1st Antechamber - a small eight columned portico opened into the inner temple. The columns were removed at Roman times>
- 2nd Antechamber - four columns and reliefs of Amenhotep 3 offering incense to Amun.
The "Birth Room" is situated to the left of this antechamber, it has 3 columns and scenes depicting the divine birth of Amenhotep 3
A side doorway leads to various rear chambers and cells - Amun Sanctuary - a small chamber with 4 clustered papyrus columns, the barque of Amun was kept here.
The walls of this room are decorated with scenes depicting Amenhotep 3 dancing before Amun
The chambers beyond the barque shrine, formed a sort of temple within the temple
