Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

The “Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut” is located close to the Valley of the Kings (in fact just over the hill from it) near Luxor, Egypt. The temple was devoted to preparing bodies for the afterlife and was created by pharaoh Hatshepsut in the 15th century BC. Hatshepsut was a queen who crowned herself pharaoh over the rightful male heir Thutmose III. When she died Thutmose III took over as pharaoh, defacing her images in the temple.

The temple has three levels with the first level having a shrine devoted to the cow goddess Hathor (to the left) and another devoted to the death god Anubis (to the right). The second level is the central shrine to Amun, god of the air.

The temple is located a bit of a distance out of Luxor so needs a bit of planning to visit.

Taxis, buses and tours regularly travel to the temple. There is a massive car park at the entrance which is still quite some distance from the temple itself.

At the entrance/exit there is a café to the far right of the site as well as the requisite gift shop. Golf carts can be hired to take you to the front steps of the temple itself. Each level of the temple are accessed by the main staircase. There are numerous rooms to visit including several smaller temples and the high altar on the top level.

Great views of Luxor and the surrounding area can be had from the top level of the temple.

For further information, please see:

• Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities - Monuments - Hatshepsut Temple
• Wikipedia - Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut