Post- 300
It is truly remarkable to witness this 3500-year-old human creation still standing and gleaming in the sunlight like a golden garland of Egypt. Countless visitors come here, leaving with a sense of satisfaction, realizing that there were once civilizations on this earth that competed with modern construction technologies.
Today, I too find myself in front of the same temple, with sprawling terraces that warmly welcome Amun Ra and the revered Hatshepsut.
Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the Luxor necropolis. Here her cult was practiced after her death, when she attained the blessed state of Osiris. Far from being devoted solely to her, the temple is mainly dedicated to Amun Ra and also includes sections for the cults of her revered father, Thutmose I; the goddess Hathor; and the funerary god, Anubis. Pride of place was given to Amun Ra.
Introduction
Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose. She married her half-brother Thutmose II, as tradition demanded, but destiny had far greater plans for her. Thutmose II had a son, Thutmose III, with another wife (Iset). After Thutmose II died, her stepson Thutmose III was still a child. Hatshepsut first acted as regent for him and later declared herself Pharaoh, ruling alongside him. Draped in the symbols of kingship, bearing the ceremonial beard and royal titulary, she reigned for nearly two decades—years defined by stability, prosperity, and ambitious vision.
Although Hatshepsut was the biological daughter of Thutmose I, she further strengthened her claim to kingship through a powerful doctrine of divine birth. According to inscriptions carved on the walls of her mortuary temple here at Deir el-Bahari, the god Amun-Ra himself took the form of Thutmose I and visited Queen Ahmose, Hatshepsut’s mother. From this sacred union, Hatshepsut was conceived, making her not merely a royal daughter but the chosen child of Amun-Ra.
Hence, her mortuary temple here stands as a dual testament—dedicated to Amun-Ra, the divine source of her kingship, and to Hatshepsut herself, shown in Osiride form as the eternally reborn ruler.
Who built it
The temple was built between 1479 BC and 1458 BC during the reign of Hatshepsut in the 18th Dynasty, under the direction of her trusted architect, Senenmut. During this period Karnak, Luxor Temple, and the Valley of the Kings were expanding. A century after Tutankhamun was buried in the Valley of the Kings.
Category of temple—This is a mortuary temple, as, along with the god Amun-Ra, Pharaoh Hatshepsut was also worshipped here even when she was alive. Her actual tomb is KV20, deep inside the Valley of the Kings, and now closed to visitors as it has risky rocks.
How to reach
This temple is just 40 minutes by car or tour bus from Karnak Temple, Luxor. From there, visitors do not walk the final stretch; instead, electric shuttle buses carry everyone across the open forecourt to the base of the temple. You need to just walk a km from there to temple last
Where to stay
If you want to stay in city and for nightlife stay in Luxor
Luxury: Steigenberger Nile Palace, Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa
Mid-Range: Jolie Ville Kings Island Luxor, Nefertiti Hotel
Budget: Cleopatra Hotel, Al Moudira Hotel
If you want to stay very close to the Colossi of Memnon, Valley of the Kings, and other West Bank sites in peaceful, village atmosphere and shorter travel time in the mornings then do not stay instead of Luxor, stay on west bank in area of Luxor Village / Al-Qurna / Al-Baairat. There are Guesthouses, small hotels, family-run stays.
It’s interesting to point out that the area in which Hatshepsut’s temple is standing is called Deir-el-Bahari.
Deir el-Bahari is famous because it is one of the most spectacular and historically important archaeological areas in West Luxor (Thebes). It combines dramatic natural landscape with some of the most important monuments of Ancient Egypt.
It has the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (1470 BC), 18th dynasty; the Temple of Mentuhotep II (2050 BC), 11th dynasty; the Tombs of Nobles (Dra Abu el-Naga & nearby areas); and the Royal Cache (DB320 in cliffs of Deir-el-Bahari)—a hidden burial place where priests reburied royal mummies of Thutmose III, Seti I, Ramses II, and many other kings to protect them from tomb robbers.
I also visited and took photos of the Dra-Abu-el-Naga area, which is about 10 km from Hatshepsut temple. I came across this place when I visited the stone sculpture shops.
Our bus drops us at the designated parking area for the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut. Entry tickets, priced at EGP 440 ($9), are available at the visitor counter. From here, we walk approximately half a kilometer through a small market, where shopkeepers often call out familiar Bollywood names to attract attention. Visitors are generally advised not to engage and to continue straight ahead.
Beyond the market, electric shuttle carts, provided free of charge, transport visitors to the first terrace of the temple. From this point, we proceed on foot, crossing the first and second terraces. A final ascent of about 200 gentle steps leads us to the third and highest terrace, where the main sanctuary of Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple is located.
While travelling by bus from the Valley of the Kings to the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, I photographed several tombs faintly visible in the rocky hills in the distance. The entire area surrounding the temple is known as Deir el-Bahari.
These rock-cut tombs once belonged to high officials, priests, royal administrators, and court nobles who served pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, and Amenhotep II.
The priests and nobles preferred them buried here, being near to Hatshepsut’s temple—the Holy of Holies.
The low walls, platforms, and reconstructed façades seen here represent different phases of reuse. Originally, these spaces functioned as ancient forecourts where ritual offerings were made. In later periods, the area was adapted by Coptic Christian hermits (4th–7th century CE) and reused during the medieval era as shelters and chapels. Several tombs were converted into hermit cells, small monasteries, and storage spaces.
The scenes of Deir el-Bahari and Dra Abu el-Naga therefore illustrate multiple layers of history, reflecting continuous occupation and reuse rather than a single historical period.
Let us have a round of this mortuary temple.
The temple consists of three levels each of which has a colonnade at its far end. On the uppermost level, an open courtyard lies just beyond the portico. Mummiform statues of Hatshepsut as Osiris, the god of the dead, lean against its
At the far end of the upper courtyard, on the temple’s central axis, a passage cut directly into the living rock culminates in his sanctuary. The site of the temple is chosen such that natural rocks become part of the temple.
The temple consists of three levels, each of which has a colonnade at its far end. On the uppermost level, an open courtyard lies just beyond the portico. Mummiform statues of Hatshepsut as Osiris, the god of the dead, lean against its
At the far end of the upper courtyard, on the temple’s central axis, a passage cut directly into the living rock culminates in his sanctuary. The site of the temple is chosen such that natural rocks become part of the temple.
The middle corridor depicts Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt, believed to be located near modern Eritrea. The inhabitants of this land, their dwellings, and surrounding environment are vividly recorded, as are the riches and exotic animals that the Egyptians brought back with them. On the other side of the portico, Hatshepsut relates how she is the rightful king of Egypt. She does this not only by claiming that her father, Thutmose I, had designated her as his heir, but also by stating that her true father was none other than the god Amun himself.
This sanctuary is dedicated to Amun-Ra, not to Hatshepsut herself. However, it was constructed by Hatshepsut for Amun-Ra, and her presence is strongly asserted through symbolism and ritual imagery.
This was the most sacred space within the entire temple complex. During the Beautiful Festival of the Valley, it received the sacred barque of Amun-Ra. Access to this shrine was restricted to priests, with the king represented symbolically as the divine intermediary.
The deep blue ceiling adorned with yellow stars represents the heavens of Amun-Ra, evoking the cosmic night sky. The reliefs depict Amun-Ra enthroned, ritual offerings, and Hatshepsut portrayed as a king, actively performing sacred ceremonies. Through this imagery, Hatshepsut conveys a clear message: her authority to rule is divinely sanctioned by Amun-Ra.
This photograph was taken from the Upper (Third) Terrace of the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Visible here are the Osiride statues of Hatshepsut, carved in the form of Osiris and attached to square pillars. These statues appear exclusively on the Upper Terrace, emphasizing Hatshepsut’s identification with Osiris, the god of death, regeneration, and rebirth.
The broad, open, stone-paved space in the foreground is the Upper Forecourt. This area served as a gathering place for priests, a pause point for ritual processions, and a ceremonial setting that prepared the sacred barque of Amun before it entered the sanctuary.
On the far right, a long colonnade lines the approach to the central sanctuary, formally framing the ritual axis that leads toward Amun’s shrine.
Why is this shrine in this temple? We can see a woman’s face with cow ears carved. This is the face of Goddess Hathor. These are called Hathoric columns.
This is a side shrine dedicated to the god Hathor, the god of music, joy, and motherhood, and on top of that, the god of the West (the land of the dead, as Luxor is). Hathor is the divine mother of kings. As a female pharaoh, Hatshepsut used the female goddess Hathor to legitimize her rule. Hathor also welcomed the dead into the afterlife—perfect for a mortuary temple.
There is also a sub-shrine of Anubis here, who is the god of mummification, protection of tombs, and guide of souls of the underworld. He ensures that the body survives, the soul finds its way, and the tomb remains sealed and protected. The presence of Anubis is because a pharaoh cannot be reborn unless the body is perfectly preserved.
In this relief, the cow is Hathor appearing alive from this rock of the Theban mountain; the front figure is Hatshepsut, and behind is Amun-Ra. Hathor receives the king into the West and rebirth, and Amun-Ra grants life and royal legitimacy. West here means Thebes (today Luxor) on the west of the Nile, which is also called the land of the dead. Hatshepsut stands as the divinely sanctioned ruler. This relief tells us that the mountain (the Theban cliffs) is alive. The goddess dwells within the sacred rock
The dead pharaoh is received by the goddess from the mountain. Hathor was believed to emerge from the western mountain.
On the left is Falcon, which represents Horus, a living pharaoh on earth. This says the king is Horus.
In the center are vessels of offering to Horus. While the far right is the sun disk Ra as Divine approval of kingship.
Meaning is that Hatshepsut rules Egypt not by ambition, but because she maintains Ma’at through
ritual and devotion and approval of gods.
Epilogue
Standing before the terraces of Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahari, I felt more than admiration for its symmetry and scale—I felt the quiet determination of a woman who reshaped history. Carved into the golden cliffs of Thebes, the temple is not just stone and relief; it is a statement of ambition, devotion, and legacy. As the sun moves across its colonnades, the monument seems to awaken, reminding every traveler that ancient Egypt was not only built by kings but also by a queen who dared to rule as pharaoh. Leaving the site, the silence of the cliffs lingers long after the footsteps fade.
What more can I say about Hatshepsut? Salute to you.
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