Location: in Upper (southern) Egypt.
History: It is the world’s greatest open-air museum. Luxor is unique among the cities of the world. Wherever you tread, you feel you are experiencing the past and the present at one and the same time. Luxor is a city in Upper (southern) Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. There is hardly a place in the city that does not have a relic that tells of the grandeur of the Ancient Egyptians several thousand years ago. Where does the name ‘Luxor’ come from? Luxor is part of ancient Thebes: ‘the one hundred-gated city’ as it was called by the renowned Greek historian, Homer, because of its buildings and large gates. The city grew over the years, and the Arabs, impressed by its beautiful palaces and huge edifices, re-named it Luxor’: City of Palaces. As the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the “world’s greatest open air museum”, the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor standing within the modern city. Immediately opposite, across the Nile River, lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank Necropolis, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Thousands of international tourists arrive annually to visit these monuments, contributing a large part towards the economy for the modern city. Luxor remained the seat of power from 2100 to 750 B.C. That is why the visitor is awed by the city, made immortal by its huge pillared-monuments along both banks of the Nile, in the City of the Living, in the east, where the life-giving sun rises; and in the City of the Dead, in the west, where the sun, in its never-ending orbit, bids farewell to life! Luxor has often been called the world greatest open-air museum, as indeed it is and much more. The number and preservation of the monuments in the Luxor area are unparalleled anywhere else in the world that knows of. Actually, what most people think of as Luxor is really three different areas, consisting of the City of Luxor on the East side of the Nile, the town of Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes, which the ancient Egyptians called Waset, which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor. To say that the Luxor area is a major attraction for tourists in Egypt would be an understatement. It has been a tourist destination since the beginning of tourism. Even in ancient times, during the late Dynasties of the Greek and Roman periods, the area drew tourists, and has been doing so ever since. Today Luxor is well equipped to accommodate tourists with many hotels and in general a tourist industry ready and willing to serve the people from many countries that descend on this area of the Nile Valley every year. Within Luxor, there are only three main streets consisting of Sharia al-Mahatta Sharia al-Karnak and the Corniche, next to the Nile. The street in front of the train station is Sharia al-Mahatta and runs away from the Nile where it meets the gardens of Luxor Temple. Sharia al-Karnak or Maabad al-Karnak which means Karnak Temple Street runs along the Nile from Luxor Temple to Karnak Temple. However, Sharia al-Karnak is known as Sharia al-Markaz where it meets Sharia al-Mahatta Street, and to the south around the temple it is known as Sharia al-Lokanda. Along this street one will find the colorful signs of restaurants and cafes, as well as bazaars where the usual variety of Egyptian souvenirs can be found. Of interest is the alabaster, which is plentiful along the west bank and miles not far from here. Also look for the clay pots used by the locals for cooking, which are more unusual. Luxor today is a city of some 150,000 people and is governed by special statues that allow it more autonomy then other political areas of Egypt. One thing you might notice is that various government and other buildings confirm to an ‘ancient’ building code.
Luxor is divided into two sides
The East Bank of the Nile: The Temples of Luxor and Karnak, and the Museum.
The West Bank of the Nile: The Colossi of Memnon – The Tombs of the Valleys of the Kings and Queens – Mortuary Temples – The Tombs of the Nobles – The Tombs of Deir al-Madina.
