Luxor West Bank Attractions Upper Egypt | Facts, Map, Tombs
what to see in West bank luxor in the Old Kingdom of Pharaonic Civilization, Pharaonic Temples, Monuments, Antiquities and Tombs.
Luxor West bank was the burial place of the important officials of the 4th nome of Upper Egypt and the capital of that nome was Wast or Thebes. The capital of the old kingdom was in the north and it was normal that the royal tombs and the high officials’ tombs were supposed to be in the capital, Memphis at that time. The tombs in that time were in four places Saqqara, Abu Rawash, Giza, Dahshour, and Medium.
Luxor West Bank Attractions Upper Egypt
West Bank tombs in the Old Kingdom
In the Old Kingdom, the Thebes necropolis was a privilege for nomes governors and important officials. Four tombs were discovered date back to the Old Kingdom and these tombs are in El-Tarif, El Assasif. These two places are located on the west side of the city facing Karnak temple.
Luxor West bank tombs in the middle Kingdom
The kings of the Middle Kingdom were originally from Luxor and Thebes was the capital, so it was normal that the tombs will be there from El-Assasif till Draʻ Abu el-Naga.
But, In the 12th dynasty, the capital was in middle Egypt but Thebes remain the necropolis of the important High officials they chose El Deir El Bahari as a place for their necropolis beside the temple of Mentohoteb Neb Hebt Ra.
Thebes was not the capital but it remains an important religious place as the god Amun was worshiped there. The Second Intermediate period built their shrines for Amun there.
The 16th dynasty Pharaohs considered themselves the real rules of Egypt during the Hyksos era, they chose Dera Abu Naga as a burial place like the tomb of Seqenenre Tao and Kamose.
West Bank during the New Kingdom
West bank necropolis reached its biggest size and Tuthmosis first built his tomb in the Valley of the Kings where the kings of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties built their tombs. The founder of The New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, Ahmose is not found yet. Most probably it is in Luxor, West bank but we did not find it yet. King Amenhotep first built his tomb in Draʻ Abu el-Naga where his grandfathers, the kings of the 17th dynasty built their tombs.
West Bank Names during the New Kingdom
- Imntt Niwt – The west of the city (Luxor)
- Imntt Wast- West of Wast (Luxor)
- Ta Rit Imntt – the west bank
- Ta Rit – This Side they mean west side
- Ta Rit M Niwt – This side of the city, also means West Bank
What is on the Luxor west bank?
As long as the ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and they believed they will be alive again and they will be asked about what they did in their first life. According to that belief, good people will go to heaven and bad people will go to hell. Ancient Egyptians believe where the sun rises were life, that’s why all the houses, palaces, and daily life temples were on the east bank of the Nile. Where the sun sets, and dies were an afterlife, that’s why Pyramids, tombs, and temples of millions of years were on the west bank of the Nile.
Put that point in mind, so it was not allowed to live on the west bank in ancient Egypt with one exception in the New Kingdom, the city of the workers or Deir El Madina. So, the west bank was where Egyptian Pharaohs were buried in such places as the Valley of the Kings and the Pyramids.
Is Luxor located on the east bank or the west bank of the Nile?
Luxor is located on both banks of the Nile. in other words, Luxor is on the east bank of the Nile and on the west bank of the Nile.
How do I get from east to west bank Luxor?
There are two ways how you can get from the east bank to the west bank of the Nile.
You can cross the Nile from the Luxor East Bank to the west bank with the fastest way Ferry boat or motorboat or you can drive around the bridge from the east to the west bank of the Nile or booking Luxor Tours.
What you can see on the west bank of the Nile?
Luxor West bank is one of the best things to do in Luxor. West bank has some of Luxor’s tourist attractions.
Attractions include
Valley of the Kings
Tomb of Ramses VI (KV 9)
Tombs of Nobles (Valley of the Nobles Luxor)
Madinet Habu temple (memorial temple of Ramesses III)
Deir El Bahari ((Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut)
Ramesseum (memorial temple of Ramesses II)
Mortuary temple of Seti I
Merenptah mortuary temple
Deir el-Medina (workers’ village)
Colossi of Memnon
Assasif Tombs
Palace of Amenhotep III at Madinet Habu
Temple of Montuhotep II
Tutankhamun Tomb
Tomb of Seti I (KV 17)
Tomb of Ramses VI (KV 9)
Tomb of Ramses III (KV 11)
Tomb of Nefertari
Tombs of Sennofer & Rekhmire
Tomb of Tuthmosis IV (KV 43)
Tomb of Ramses IX (KV 6)
Tomb of Tawosret/Sethnakht (KV14)
Tomb of Merenptah (KV 8)
Tombs of Ramose
Tomb of Sennedjem
Tomb of Peshedu
Carter’s House
Christian monuments in Luxor
The Monastery of Phoebammon (Phoibammon) or Deir Abi Fam
was excavated in 1948 by the Coptic Archaeological Society. It is located about eight kilometers west of the Valley of the Queens and is difficult to reach.
Monasteries and Cells of anchorites on the hilltop of Qurnat Murrat
St. Tawdros (El Mohareb’s) Monastery – Malqata
The beautiful feast of the Valley
Yearly in the past, the ancient Egyptians celebrated many feasts and the feasts were like national feasts. People gather from everywhere, celebrate, dance, pray, and ask their gods about whatever they like. However, One of the most important feasts in ancient Egypt was the beautiful feast of the Valley.
People leave the east bank of the Nile in an Avery big celebration to visit the necropolis on the west bank of the Nile to visit the funerary temples of the ancestors beside their beloved ones.
National Feasts
Almost every temple in the past has its own feasts like
The good Union feast between Dendera temple and Edfu temple. Goddesses Hathor and god Horus
The new year feast in Dendera Wepet Renpet
opt feast between Karnak and Luxor
Sokar festival.
Heb Sed Festival (Jubilee Festival)
5 days of the ancient calendar
Osiris Birthday
Horus Birthday
Seth Birthday
Isis Birthday
Nephthys Birthday
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