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Hatshepsut's Terrasse Temple is one of the most unique monuments in Egypt and an architectural achievement completely unprecedented worldwide. Not only because it was built during the period of a female Pharaoh (there was more female Pharaohs), but the temple itself.
Located on the west bank of ancient Waset (today's Luxor), directly under a large mountain cliff which separates the Valley of the Kings from the Nile Valley. On top of this mountain there is a natural pyramidal peak where it was said the scorpion goddess Meretseger lived and protected the area.
The temple itself was built with three terrasses and a forth "terrasse" over these. The last to protect the temple from stone fall from the cliff. All in all, these four terrasse's make the temple when seen from distance, resemble the hieroglyph for Nun as this hieroglyph that was written as a four-stepped pyramid. Nun was the first solid mound in the universal sea, and it was this mound the creator god Atum was born from. The first pyramid in Egypt was firstly built as a four-stepped pyramid (before it later was extended to six steps).
Seeing the temple from distance, it looks like one of those grand early power stations in Europe or North America. It give, and is meant to give - the visitor the impression of power. Then, as soon one gets closer to the temple the perspective in the terrasses transforms the temple to something very different from power. Its suddenly inviting, and yes if you want - feminine. Not many places have we seen as on these temple relief's, soldiers walking around with olive branches in their hands. The olive branch as a symbol for peace was used already in ancient Egypt.
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One night the sun god Amon came to Hatshepsut in a dream and told her to launch an expedition to Punt (Somalia or Yemen) and bring trees and more so he could remember his birth place Punt.
She took up the old tradition from the Old Kingdom with journeys to Punt and brought back ships filled with trees and other treasures. Two of the trees planted here 3400 years ago are still to be found. Rather, you will find the roots of two of the original trees by the entrance to the temple (#1 on the temple map).
The genius architect for this masterpiece was Senemut, and when you come to the temple - try to imagine that the first terrasse had several round pools with fish, marsh plants and birds along with myrrh trees on the second terrasse. In other words, its not only a temple in the desert, but literally an god & man made oasis in the desert.
What will you see when you come to the temple?
Well that is quite depending on the guide you get of course, but you should also know what there is to see in advance.
The first terrasse on the ground level got two colonnades - one of each side of the ramp leading up to second terrasse. On the wall behind the colonnade on the right side (#3 - north) you will find hunting of birds and fishing. These scenes from the ceremonial pounds located on this terrasse. There are only fragments of the painted relief's left, but we urge you all to go and see the remains.
On the left side (#2 - south) you will find painted reliefs from the transportation of Hatshepsut's grand obelisks from Aswan to Luxor. Each obelisk was 27.5 meters high and with a weight of 320 tons, one of them still standing erected in Karnak temple on the other side of the Nile. Just try to imagine the size of the ship needed to carry two obelisks - each nearly 30 meters long and with a combined weight of 640 tons...
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Going up to second terrace one will find two more colonnades. The one of the left side (#5 - south) show the whole journey to Punt, meeting with the King and Queen of Punt, scenes from Punt and in details all that was brought home to Waset and this temple. This is in fact the first detailed travel description know in the history of mankind.
On the right side (#6 - north) there is a less known, but extremely important painted wall relief. Here you will see how the creator god creates Hatshepsut, as all is about the Holy Birth of Hatshepsut. In short, Amon himself comes down to earth and make Hatshepsut's mother, Queen Amose - pregnant. Look for the relief of Amose, as its a unique presentation of a pregnant woman. Result of this visit by Amon is that Hatshepsut becomes the daughter of the sun god himself. Many say it was to prove that she could rule while being a woman, but fact is that this is an old tradition the same way the journey to Punt was not a new invention by Hatshepsut. She merely took important traditions that had not been alive for several hundred years, and renewed these. The voyage to Punt and the Holy Birth presented at this temple strongly reflect this.
On the side (#7 - north) of this Holy Birth colonnade one will find the cult area for the god Anubis, the jackal god that was the god of mummification. South of the Punt journey colonnade (#4) you find a similar but bit larger sanctuary to the goddess Hathor. Note the Hathor heads on top of the columns, as these faces are with the features of Hatshepsut - still overlooking the Nile valley.
Until recently the third terrasse have been closed due to restoration, but today its open for visitors. Here you will find more beautiful wall reliefs, much dedicated to her father ThothMoses I, a sun temple and the "holiest of the holy" (#8) where the stature of Amon himself originally stood. While standing here being amazed by the temple and those personalities who made this possible more than three thousand years ago - don't forget to turn around. Hardly anywhere else will you get such a beautiful view of he Nile Valley as from this third terrasse of Hathsepsut's Terrasse Temple.
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Find more about:
Hatshepsut's Terrasse Temple
Tomb of the Nobles, Ramose
Tomb of the Nobles, Menna & Nakht
Medinet Habu tempelkompleks
Ramses III temple at Medinet Habu
Karnak Temple Complex
Main temples in Karnak
Luxor Temple
Luxor map
Egypt maps
Cairo map
Luxor map
Sinai map
Nile cruise map
Nilvalley map
Western desert maps
Ancient Nilevalley map
Holy family in Egypt map
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