Luxor Temple pylon of Ramses II


 

The pylon was half buried in sand until the 1880s but when cleared it revealed two towers measuring 24 meters high and 65 meters wide. They are carved in sunken relief depicting Ramesses at the battle of Kadesh.

Battle of Kadesh from the east tower
Battle of Kadesh from the east tower

On the facade of the west (right) tower, the king is depicted with his advisers and generals. On the east (left) tower, the battle is shown with Ramesses driving his chariot over the dead and dying enemies.

Pylon of Rameses II at Luxor Temple - 3D reconstruction
Pylon of Rameses II at Luxor Temple – 3D reconstruction

Two massive seated statues of Rameses II guard the huge gateway and are flanked by four standing statues of the king. Two 80 foot (25m) obelisks once accompanied them but today only one remains the other stands in the Place De La Concorde in Paris.
An avenue of human headed sphinxes of over one and a half miles (3 km) once connected the temples of Karnak and Luxor. This was used once a year in a festival during which the image of Amun travelled from Karnak to visit his southern dominion. It was at Luxor temple that he was transformed into Min the god of fertility.

Luxor Temple pylon of Ramses II

luxorTemple2

ObelisksluxorMapThumb6
Two 80ft (25m) obelisks once stood here. One remains the other stands in Paris.

Pylon of Ramses IIluxorMapThumb1
Two towers 24 meters high, 65 meters wide and carved in sunken relief

Court of Rameses IIluxorMapThumb2
188 feet (57 m) long, 168 feet (51 m) wide and surrounded with 74 papyrus columns.

Amenhotep III Colonnade
luxorMapThumb5
Seven pairs of 52 foot (16m) high open-flower papyrus columns.

Court of Amonhotep IIIluxorMapThumb3
148ft long (45 m), 184ft wide (56 m), with papyrus columns on three sides.

Avenue of Sphinxes luxorMapThumb4
Karnak and Luxor temples were once connected by an avenue of  sphinxes

 

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