Sunday, October 21, 2012

5 Must See Places While You Are in Luxor in Egypt


1. Luxor Temple:

The city of Luxor became named as such because it grew up around the temple. There has probably always been life around the ancient monuments, their functions were very crucial in ancient Egypt, hereby making people settling around them through history. Luxor temple has its own odd structure and opposition in architectural construction. On one hand we see Ramesses II huge statues sitting by the entrances at the first two gates/pylons. And on the other hand we find Hatshepsut's exceptional fine carvings. If you go into the inner courts, the wall just before you reach the holy of holiness, then you will see a Christian Roman image. It is painted and very visual even to this day.


2. Karnak Temples:

Not one temple, but many temples. One puzzling place to be, so much history embedded everywhere, and from so many different kingdoms (time periods).
The temples there are dedicated to many gods and goddess, but mostly the god Amun/Amon. He became a great god among the middle and new Kingdom. The name Amun/Amon means 'the hidden one'. No matter how you approach the history these temples cannot be viewed probably in one day, it is a place that will leave you overwhelmed.
Karnak temple's is actually connected with Luxor temple, there once laid a long passage of Sphinx's between them, connecting them. These temples were often used in very important festivals in ancient day, one of such is like we know it today 'New Years Eve.' Their calendar follows the Queen of the stars who is Sirius, and when she arrived by the Nile it was the New Year's beginning.


3. Local streets of Luxor:


The most walked street in Luxor city is referred to as the tourist street. People coming from the boat cruises mostly settle for walking upon this long and beautiful street, which is a shame. Further away from the Nile, going parallel of the tourist street is the local's area. There are many advantages to visiting this area of Luxor, but foremost must be for the people. They are kind, and no one will be hunting you for business, you will be able to walk in peace and truly enjoy another culture and its daily life. The shops here are more exciting for the eye, than anything found by the Niles tourist street.
WESTERN SIDE OF THE NILE - Through death they walk.
Was the 12 hours of Dark/night. Ra's the sun's journey into the night and into his daily confrontation with death, and each night many gods and goddess would join his fight, to keep the real death at bay.


4. Valley of the Queens:

Mostly underestimated and neglected by people, the Valley of the Kings has always outshined the Queens valley, yet another shame in history. What I find most revealing in the Queens tomb, is the paintings and decorations upon their walls. Even in ancient days, the female was underestimated, this is Hatshepsut a clear evidence of. Women have always been holding the shortest stick in the bunch, no matter what culture no matter what time in history. There seems to be a completely different story written in the Queens tombs, and it seems much shorter than the king's story. There seem to be less focus upon the souls journey itself, were as the kings tombs have much more details of curtain things/topics. But it could off course also mean the opposites of what I stated earlier here, that they did not underestimate women, but the opposite. It could also mean that the ancient man already regarded the women divine in some way, thinking that her soul automatically already knew the way, and therefore did not need a 'guide' as one finds in the men's tombs.
5. Valley of the Kings:

A place all new to ancient Egyptian history must visit, but everyone should also show the respect, because this is an ancient graveyard that one visits, a place of eternal silence in the given life. Their tombs are magnificent even today, they offer so much of the ancient beliefs and how their ideas were formed. The painted walls have stood as they are, for over a thousand years. The colors fascinatingly clear, truly one of the hundreds pleasures for the eyes.

No comments:

Post a Comment