Touring The City Of Luxor

Luxor is sometimes referred to as the world’s largest open air museum. Located in Egypt, it is one of the most sought after attractions for those taking one of the Egypt trips. Dating back to the Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area has always been attractive to tourists. People from all parts of the world continue to find Luxor to be a place of great interest.

The area of Luxor actually includes three parts. The first is the City of Luxor that is on the east side of the Nile River. The next area is the town of Karnak, which is just north of Luxor and lastly, the city of Thebes, also called Waset, which is on the west side of the Nile River across from Luxor.

Once an Egyptian city called Thebes, Luxor is located directly across from the Nile River. The ruins of the temple of historic Egypt lie here, along with the temples, tombs and monuments of that time. Once the capital of Egypt, Luxor was also the worship point of the god Amon-Ra. The city began to gain importance in the 11^th Dynasty, growing quickly into a renowned city known for its luxury and elevated social status. Art, religious ideals, wisdom and political knowledge were all a part of this growing metropolis.

The Hittites, Canaanites, Phoenicians, Babylonians, and Minoans all came to visit the grand city of Thebes. During the Late Period, Thebes lost much of its political and military importance. Even after this, however, it remained a popular place because the temple to their god was located there.

The city was attacked by Assurbanial, emperor of Assyria, and a Libyan price was placed on the throne. Thebes was mostly in ruins until Alexander the Great arrived for a religious feast, giving the city a name once again. Thebes remained popular for those interested in spiritual matters and some of the monks of the Roman Empire founded monasteries there.

Today, the city of Luxor has nearly 150,000 people and depends upon tourism for its financial stability. It has a unique government, making it more autonomous than other Egyptian cities. The city has buildings such as a bank, police station and railway station that are designed to look like pharaonic constructions. The Luxor Museum is small but has relics that will help you understand some of the other attractions in the area. The Mummification Museum is located across from the Mina Palace Hotel. At this museum, you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about mummies.

When taking one of the Luxor tours, the Egypt tour guide will take you through the city, following the Nile River. The temples along the way are most fascinating, giving one a clear picture of Egyptian architecture and culture. Connecting many of the buildings are long stone streets call dromos, which date back to the early Egyptian period. The city is most fascinating, taking one back to a time and place from long ago. The city of Luxor, with it's temples and sphinxes, helps one realize the importance and magnificence of this amazing time in history.

Egyptian Egypt Small Videos

{mage source="youtube"]Egyptian Egypt Small Video[/mage]

Egyptian Egypt Small TAGS