After its discovery in the late 1940s and after several rounds of excavations and restorations since then, the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes finally reopened to the public following a grandiose celebration on November 23, 2021 to mark the occasion. The 2.7-kilometer-long road, originally lined with hundreds of rams head sphinx statues on both sides stretching its entire length, connects the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, two of the most important […]
Luxor Sites
Luxor Temple
Despite its prominent name, Luxor Temple is actually the second most famous temple in Luxor behind the much larger and greater Temple of Karnak just down the road. However, Luxor Temple has several unique features of its own that merit a visit and some independent attention. The first and most obvious aspect of Luxor Temple […]
The Valley of the Queens
The Valley of the Queens in the area of Luxor is a lesser visited royal necropolis in which various family members of several dynasties of pharaohs were laid to rest. As the name suggests, many queens were buried here in elaborate tombs befitting their status and wealth, but many princesses and even princes had dedicated […]
The World’s First Drag “King”
Beyonce, Gaga, even Hillary ain’t got nothing on ancient Egypt’s biggest diva. She ruled the world’s most powerful empire over 3400 years before women even got the vote in the United States. And to do it, she became the world’s first and most famous drag king. Queen Hapshetsut was already a big deal back in […]
The Sleeping Dogs of Karnak
One of my favorite sites to visit in Egypt is the Temple of Karnak, located just north of downtown Luxor in southern Egypt. The sheer scale of its massive pylons, the enormous girth of the lotus-topped columns in its Hypostyle Hall, the near excessiveness of the hieroglyphic reliefs, the serenity of some of its less-trafficked […]
The Valley of the Kings
When most people think of Egypt, they usually think of three things: pyramids, tombs, and temples. While the first of those, the Pyramids, are primarily located just outside of Cairo in the north of Egypt, the most famous tombs and temples are located down south in and around the city of Luxor. And of Luxor’s […]