The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (1479-1458 BCE)

Queen Hatshepsut Temple Luxor is blessed with a number of heavenly pieces of art that showcases

the extraordinary elements on which this great civilization  built on

and showcases all the reasons why Hatshepsut  the greatest pharaoh

in the history of ancient Egypt. The temple of Hatshepsut is the finest example

of the brilliant architecture that once existed during the days of ancient Egypt.

The Story Beyond the Mesmerizing Hatshepsut Temple

Hatshepsut Temple Statues

This extraordinary beautiful Hatshepsut temple is also known as Djeser-Djeseru

(Holy of Holies) which built for the Eighteenth Dynasty “Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut“.

It is one of the incomparable temples of ancient Egypt that is considered to be

the greatest ancient Egyptian achievement. It is dedicated to the history of

Hatshepsut and the creator god Amun. The Egyptian monarch had the duties to

honor their Gods and Pharaohs and preserve their memory until eternity through

the construction of tombs and temples. Queen Hatshepsut saw the temple as

Queen Hatshepsut Temple

a means to elevate her public image and immortalize her name; the Mortuary

temple achieved both ends. She was considered the daughter of a very powerful god

in Egypt and ruled for about two decades in the image of a man as the Egyptians

didn’t allow women to be the ruler of the country.

Description About Queen Hatshepsut Reign

Queen Hatshepsut the daughter of King Thutmose I and his wife Ahmose.

Thutmose I had a son from his secondary marriage from Mutnofret who is called

Queen Hatshepsut Temple

“Thutmose II“. Following the tradition, Hatshepsut married Thutmose II

before she was 20 years old. Queen Hatshepsut elevated to the great position

of the wife of god Amun, which the higher position a woman can get in Egypt

provides her with a great political position. Her husband died and his son

still a child, so she controlled the affairs of the state as a co-regent until she crowned Pharaoh of Egypt.

Her reign the most peaceful and prosperous in the history of Egypt. she characterized

by successful trade, economy, and many public works projects which provided jobs for laborers from across the nation.

Temple Location Queen Hatshepsut Temple

Queen Hatshepsut temple is located in Upper Egypt beneath the cliffs of “Deir El-Bahari“,

a name that derives from the former monastery built during the Coptic era, about

17 miles northwest of Luxor on the west bank of the river in western Thebes,

the great capital of Egypt during Egypt’s New Kingdom (1550- 1050 BC).

It sited next to the mortuary temple of Mentuhotep II and marks the entrance

of the Valley of the Kings that you can visit during your luxury Egypt tours.

Hatshepsut Temple Design

Queen Hatshepsut gave the order to construct this magnificent temple in

1479 B.C. She built the temple to tell the story of her life, whose construction

took about fifteen years to complete. The temple was designed by Hatshepsut’s

organizer; Senenmut. He designed it carefully based on the Temple

of Mentuhotep II but he made every single aspect even larger.

The temple’s three levels and three of them reflect accurately the featured colonnade.

On the Ground Level, there a garden with exotic trees from

Hatshepsut’s expeditions to punt but unfortunately, it disappeared.

Behind the courtyard, their colonnades with square pillars.

Their decorations include Tuthmosis III standing in front of Amun,

Queen Hatshepsut Temple

and some scenes depicting the marshes of Lower Egypt. You can go through archways that can lead you to the second level.

The Second Level holds two reflecting pools and sphinxes, which

lining the pathway to another ramp. It contains one of the first pictorial

documentation of a trade expedition. There is also a shrine for the Goddess Hathor,

who depicted with a woman’s face and a cow’s ears, holding a musical instrument.

The Birth Colonnade  located on the right side of the ramp that tells the story

of Hatshepsut’s creation with Amun, and the punt colonnade, which is on the

left side of the ramp and reveals her glorious expedition to the mysterious

‘Land of the Gods‘, which the Egyptians had not visited in centuries.

There also Hathor Chapel that contains a hypostyle hall with twelve

Queen Hatshepsut Temple

beautiful Hathor-headed columns and Anubis Chapel, which has a hypostyle

hall with twelve fluted columns and an astronomical ceiling.

The Third Level houses a portico with double rows of columns that face the front.

All images of Queen Hatshepsut have been destroyed and replaced with images

of King Tutmosis III. They’re also the sanctuary of Amun that lies behind the courtyard.

It rebuilt during the Ptolemaic period and rededicated to Imhotep.

Historical Influence of Hatshepsut Temple

Queen Hatshepsut Temple

This incredible temple is considered the closest to ancient Egyptian history.

It aggrandizes the pharaoh and includes sanctuaries to honor the gods relevant to her afterlife.

The construction of this temple mirrored the

following temples of the new kingdom.

Things You Can See at Hatshepsut Temple

Although some elements of this superb historic structure were damaged from

vandalism, many travelers during their Egypt tour packages said that this site

well-preserved and worthy of a visit. This astonishing temple rises on three enormous

terraces connected by ramps. Queen Hatshepsut Temple open daily from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There is a bazaar (or marketplace with various goods) that sits just outside

of the property’s entrance. Inside this outstanding temple, you can see

the Birth colonnade & the Punt colonnade, Hathor chapel & Anubis chapel, and the sanctuary of Amun.

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