TEMPLE OF RAMSES III (HABOU MEDINA)

This monumental complex - the largest after Karnak - occupies a site long dedicated to the cult of Amun.

What you will see is only part of a complex that included not only a royal palace, but also stores, administrative and priestly buildings, as well as a sacred lake fed by a canal that allowed pharaohs to reach their apartments without setting foot on land.

The whole complex formed a city, a veritable extension of Luxor on the other bank, and extended to the south-west of the temple. The mud-brick enclosure, which dates back to Ramses III, was home to a large Christian community until the early ^9th century. This community built a church in the second courtyard of the great temple, which has now disappeared.

You enter the complex through a monumental gate flanked by two towers. Immediately to the left is a small temple with two funerary chapels for the divine worshippers of Amun. On your right, you'll notice the small Temple of Thutmes, whose construction dates back to Amenhetep ^I for the sanctuary, and to Thutmes ^I, II and III for the six chambers at the back.

But it's above all the first pylon of the great temple that catches the eye, despite the partial destruction of its upper parts. On its façade, you'll recognize the king, to whom Amun is holding out a sword, preparing to finish off the prisoners. The first courtyard is lined with seven Osirid pillars representing Ramses III. The left wall, sheltered by a portico, was flanked by a balcony from which the king could attend ceremonies and processions without leaving his palace.

A ramp leads to the foot of the second pylon, giving access to the second courtyard. Having taken the Ramesseum as his model, Ramses III gave his temple the massive, imposing appearance that was the glory of that of Ramses II. This courtyard is bordered on all four sides by porticoes supported by columns. Numerous traces of exquisitely coloured paintings can be seen.

On the right-hand pylon, on the way back to the first courtyard, you'll see a heap of severed hands and sexes. They weren't kidding in those days!

The next room was supported by twenty-four columns, of which only the base remains. It takes a great deal of imagination to picture the original site. The rest of the temple is badly deteriorated. On the sides, several rooms for various purposes display some interesting bas-reliefs.