Magnificence & grandeur of Luxor

Taking off from Cairo to Luxor in a wink, gradually approaching the airport, the passengers so impatiently long for the sight-seeing and the monuments of ageless Thebes.
In fact, no other city in the whole world competes with it when it comes to Luxor's 2000 years BC history, as it is the pride of civilizations and has been so for a long span of time. Historywise, no other place but Luxor hosts statues, and hundreds of tables, banquet oblation and obelisks.

This evidently signifies the affluence of the city, as its resources helped constructing temples, establishing edifices everywhere and digging tombs in the valleys.
This manifests, likewise, the keenness of the Ancient Egyptians to please their gods, specially god Amon; as well as the utmost efforts they exerted to ensure their happiness in the hereafter. As the case is with Babylon and Nineveh, the ancient oriental world grandeur and magnificence are delineated in Thebes. Besides, beating the two in more than one aspect, it is Thebes that excelled its grand emulators - especially when it comes to splendiferous temples, tombs and monuments.

While it is a hard job to go through the history of Babylon and Nineveh - thanks to the traces left - Thebes still has all the evidences that tell of a great history. It is one to be observed and admired. Self-taking is the greatness of the temples of Luxor, Karnak and Ramesseum and the ramification of their history, for they catch the eye at once. Much the same way as in ancient times, the fame of Thebes surpassed all others. Homer the Greek poet, in the IX canto of the Iliad wrote: "in Egypt's Thebes, wherein gold alloys in plenty glitter", "Thebes with one hundred gates, each through which 400 heros march in a military parade with their horses and carriages".

Thousands of years elapsed, still Thebes' greatness is noted and has not faded away as Babylon and Nineveh. Its monuments are there, and not wrecked like those of either cities, or as those of Memphis - the old capital of Upper Egypt. Even during the nineteenth century, when monuments' ever plunderers - namely Belzony - started digging in Thebes, the man himself could not do but write "I'd gone astray among several hugemonuments, each of which considerably attracted my attention. I was singled out in a place considered the most sacred in the world where there were those huge gates that can be easily seen through openings in such edifices and all the vast yards of disparity had their spiritual effect on me, making my mind roam away in alienation from people, rising me above all things; and making the oblivious upon trifles and follies".

The mostly rich in pharaonic monuments city in the Nile valley - Luxor - lies nearby Qena, about 670 km off Cairo. It occupies a part of the land of the old city that had been on the east bank of the Nile,

besides the old West Thebes, or in other words the "City of the Dead" on the west bank of the Nile. Thebes had been known in ancient times as "Wast", or the "Scepter", the emblem of the fourth district of Upper Egypt, the very district which happened to be its capital too. It was given as well the name of "Nut", or the city, and 'Nut-Amon', or the city of Amon, as was written in the Old Testament. Afterwards it was given the name of 'South Nut" or the South City to differentiate it from "Menf" the capital of Lower Egypt.
It was during the late old ages that the city was named "Thebes". No one knows for sure if it was named originally after the Greek city of Thebes or otherwise, or having the same name was a mere pronunciation concurrence. The Arabs then called it "EL Qussour" i.e. palaces, it is the plural of "Qussr" i.e. a palace as in Arabic language. The name was then changed into "Luxor" in foreign languages.

It is known that life in Thebes, started since the prehistoric age, yet the city assumed an outstanding position for the first time in the twenty first century BC when its rulers managed to bring all the parts of the country together after complete chaos. Egypt thus witnessed nearly three flourishing centuries, thanks to its rulers. That was the Middle Kingdom.

The real grandeur of Luxor was crystalized when its rulers liberated the city from the Hittites in mid-16th century BC and founded the Modern Kingdom. Since then, the city has become the most important one all over the globe and the center of civilized world. Egypt's political and cultural influence extended beyond Eupherates in the east, Libya in the west and the Fourth Cataract in the south.

Over centuries, Thebes was capital of Egypt, afterwards the seat of rule moved to some Lower Egypt cities, yet it kept its political and religious status, till the end of the Pharaos reign and with the advent of the Ptolemies in the third century BC. Meanwhile, the country fell a prey to foreign rule, not to forget mentioning that of the Persians and Assyrians who rack sacked the country.

But the Romans and Ptolemies made constructions so as to please the Egyptians and to curry their favour. During the Ptolemies era, a number of rebellions against foreign rule were suppressed. Consequently, the monuments were not spared devastation. In the same manner, the Romans plundered the city on stages, that city of great civilization and the centre of tourism.

Hence, the glory of Thebes continued to fade away, especially after replacement of the ancient religion by Christianity and Islam which made the Pharaonic civilization of Egypt sank into oblivion. Early last century, interest in Egypt's monuments began to grow after the publishing of "Description of Egypt", a book written by the scholars who escorted Napoleon Bonaparte in his expedition to Egypt. Similarly, they gained renown when Champollion, French archaeologist, decoded hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Those who initially carried out excavation work, however, were themselves who plundered the monuments and sold them abroad, to museum. Later, scientific expeditions - foreign or Egyptian - carried the excavation. Those expeditions still work in Luxor as many monuments have not yet been found and many secrets of the city have not yet been disclosed, all in wait for archaeologists and historians. On the east bank of the Nile, rise Luxor monuments and on the west bank there is "the city of the dead". The most important of which are the Temple of Karnak, of Luxor and of Amon which are still there along with residences, government seats, workers and artisans zones and the likes, other monuments are either razed to the ground and became cultivated lands or full of buildings of the present city and its surrounding villages.

They were all built of mud bricks, and naturally speaking they did not withstand thousands of years. Meanwhile, crossing the Nile to the west bank, to "the city of the dead" in particular, there are tombs of Kings, Nobles and Artisans and the remains of temples wherein Pharaohs used to perform their religious funerary rituals.

The Sound and Light Scene
Throngs of visitors come to Egypt - as has always been the case since
ancient times - from all over the world to see what is not there in any other place and to enjoy the gifts God has bestowed on Egypt that can hardly exist elsewhere. Visitors come to Egypt to get acquainted with features of perpetual civilization - persistant over centuries and generations and which existed at a time where ignorance dominated the world. They come to watch peerless colossal architectural and art heritage.

It is a heritage which rendered various civilizations eternal and had been viewed as their gateway. It is a heritage which preoccupied the globe long time ago and still fascinates its spectators. For centuries, archaeologists worked hard to unveil the ever-durable monuments of Thebes, in order to visualize a past full of masterpieces. However, until 20 years ago, those monuments were mute images representing man's genius.

But today the image has become narrative, wordy and striking, thanks to science and modern technology. Under the name of "Sound and Light Shows", the miracle of science and art is crystalised in the 20th century. It is a miracle that combined applied science with absolute art. This modern artistic show was given everywhere. At the outset, it was given in the palace of Versailles. Then it moved to the Nile Banks, meaning, to Giza Pyramids in 1961.
There, the Sphinx disclosed secrets of history and narrated examples, lessons, experiences and feelings of the past. In 1962, the show began in Salaheddin Citadel. It tells the history of a deeply-rooted courageous, and struggling city, the City of Cairo. Since 1972, in the Temple of Karnak, secrets were fathomed in the greatest, most recent and most effectual world Sound and Light Show; one that tells about the history of a deeply-rooted city, that is Thebes.
Its monuments are displayed in an exciting and artistic way, comprised of clear vision, interesting dialogue and expressive music.

Actually, we are before a splendid scene composed of sound, music and light effects. Its heroes are real, yet were alive thousands of years ago. They, nevertheless, appear now to be more eminent and dignified than ever. The show covers a scope of civilizations that became obliterated centuries and centuries ago.
Hence the light shed on their features to manifest them vigorously with the help of thousands of spotlights. Its sound echoed the heroics of the past and the sagacity & exhortion of the ancestors.

The Sound and Light Show has its never-ending educational and cultural impacts. It arouses the anxiety of thousands of Egyptians and foreign visitors and prompts them to look forward to more science, knowledge and culture. It touches their feelings, stirs their emotions and helps them appreciate other styles of art, forms of history, and kinds of monuments. Sound and Light is deemed an audio-visual instrument of education that presents science, art and culture in an acceptable and attractive way to youth.

Sound and Light encouraged a new kind of tourism, namely, night tourism. It is not only in daylight one can enjoy visiting monuments, but now night darkness has become another daylight, thanks to Sound and Light Show.
The Light touches which were added to the monuments make spectators interested, widen their scope of imagination and give them unforgettable memories. For a long time, moonlight was the only source of light that enables people to enjoy monuments at night. It is undoubtedly romantic light inspiring contemplation and appreciation of beauty. Projects of Sound and Light, made what was available over a limited number of nights every month, there for always.

Masterpieces of Karnak
Walking along the Nile bank, heading for the Temple of Karnak, one passes first by a magnificent temple that overlooks the Nile, namely, the temple of Luxor. It was constructed by Am-enofis III in the XVth century BC to the south of the Temple of Karnak. It was taken as the residence of God Amon, who used to move to the temple for some days every year in a great ceremony.

Several subsequent Pharaonic Kings made some extensions to the temple's buildings. But for Ramses II in particular, he added the northern porticoed courtyard of the temple, a large part of which had then become a chapel, this was during the advent of the Christian era. The remains of the chapel are still there today. Later, 700 years ago, the mosque of Abu El-Haggag was built in the exterior of the Temple. It is hence conceived how the temple represents Egypt's sacred life, over centuries and generations. The temple is deemed to be a gem of Pharaonic architecture and the most well-built one in Thebes.

It is characterized by outstanding columns, walls decorated with brightly colored reliefs and splendidly embossed portrays representing the architectute of the Modern Kingdom.

Amenofis III annexed the Temple of Luxor to that of Karnak by an avenue, called "Rams Avenue", which is flanked by statues of god Amon. The statues were sculptured in the form of sphinxes with lions bodies and rams heads, in order to protect the other statues of the King. Whereas the lions represent the strongest creatures man has ever known, the rams are the epitome of fertility and reproduction.

Several kilometers after the Temple of Luxor, walking in a road parallel to the Nile, till its end, turning to the right, there stands the majestic temple of Karnak. At about three kilometers from the Temple of Luxor, stands the Temple of Karnak, the official seat of god Amon. It is considered the largest Temple in old Egypt as it covers about 200 feddans. It was constructed two thousand years ago. Some take it as the largest house of worship all over the world. Ancient Egyptians called the Temple "the best place" as it was the most highly-cherished place for them. Yet it was given the name of Karnak" since the Middle Ages.

The construction of the temple dates back to the Middle Kingdom, not before. The Pharaohs of the Modern Kingdom and the subsequent Kings and rulers participated, however, in building, extending and adding halls and courtyards to that temple. This is why the temple is not a uni-designed construction, but a number of temples built at different times. It looks nowadays like a spectacle of works of architecture and various arts that comprise: pavilions, niches, colossi, columns, obelisks, pylons and drawings. The temple encloses the large dominion of Amon, the portico of which is considered an architectural masterpieces.

The portico covered about five thousand meters square. This hypostyle hall contains 134 columns, the diametre of each exceeded 10 metres. Connected to the dominion of Amon in the Temple of Karnak is other dominions such as of the goddess Mut, wife of Amon; her son, Khonsu; of god Ptah, the god of Menf; and of god Montu, the former god of Thebes.