Luxor Temple Complex in Egypt

On September 17, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt6 Comments

The Luxor Temple Complex is certainly a highlight of any trip to Luxor, Egypt. Although, not as large as the Karnak Temple Complex, it is still quite impressive. One can only imagine what it must have been like 3000 years ago when both temples were in use and there was an avenue that connected the two complexes with statues of lions with different heads lining the entire road. Work is currently being done to restore the area between the two temples and it will be another amazing sight to see when visiting Luxor.

Unlike many of the other temples in Egypt, the Luxor Temple Complex is not dedicated to any specific god or specific king. Many of the pharaohs added temples to the complex, as with other temple complexes, including Amenhotep, Alexander, Ramesses II, and Tutankhamun. One interesting feature within the complex is the remains of a statue that was very much in the style of the Greek’s.

The entrance to the Luxor Temple Complex is quite dramatic with the sitting statues of Ramses II on either side. In addition to all of the statues, there were also two obelisks in the complex, one of which is still standing. Another interesting aspect to the Luxor Temple is that there is a working mosque on the temple grounds. It is an example of how the modern world and ancient sites can become merged over time.

With so many different sites to see in Luxor such as the Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Colossus of Memnon, and the Temple of Hatshepsut, it definitely takes at least a couple of days to visit. Even with all of these temples, tombs, statues, and historic sites, the Luxor Temple Complex is as important to see as these other sites.

Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, Italy

On July 23, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy4 Comments

There is more to the Accademia Gallery in Florence than just Michelangelo’s David. Florence was the center of the art world for hundreds of years and still contains incredible paintings and statues to be admired. In addition to the statue of David, there are many other statues by Michelangelo as well as other famous artists. Beautiful and sometimes haunting paintings can be found by Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, and many more. Much of the artwork was commissioned by the Medici family and then later donated by one of the last members of the Medici family so that they could be displayed for the pleasure of everyone to view.

With seven different halls to wander and enjoy the incredible artwork, you should give yourself at least four hours when visiting the museum. You don’t have to be an art critic to appreciate the wonderful pieces that can be found in the various halls within the gallery. Clearly, most of the artwork is religious in theme, but there are plenty of others that are historical or mythological in nature. Obviously, the statue of David is the main draw and you will likely find lots of crowds surrounding the famous statue. In addition to the Accademia Gallery, the Uffizi Gallery should also be visited to see some of the most famous Renaissance’s masterpieces.

Florence is such a beautiful city with so much history and art that can be found around almost every corner. The Accademia Gallery is certainly a museum that should not be missed when visiting the Tuscan city. With so many wonderful sights to see, Florence cannot be seen in just a couple of days, but really takes a full week to enjoy everything that it has to offer.

Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor, Egypt

On May 18, 2018 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Egypt15 Comments

The Karnak Temple Complex in Luxor is an extremely impressive site in Egypt and is probably the second most visited site in Egypt behind the Great Pyramids of Giza. Part of what makes it so fascinating is the sheer size of the complex as well as the length of time during which additions and modifications were being made to the complex. In addition to visiting it during the day, we also went to a sound and light show at night, which provided another unique view of the temples. In some ways, seeing it at night gave us some insight as to what it might have been like to have seen when the temples were still in use.

Ram Heads and Lion Bodies Guarding the Temples

The temple complex is made up of four main parts, although only three of them remain as the fourth was purposely destroyed. Over 30 pharaohs contributed to building elements of the Karnak Temples, but of primary note were Seti I, Ramesses II, and Hatshepsut. In fact, Hatshepsut, a powerful female pharaoh, was responsible for creating the obelisks that are on the site, which were built from single blocks of granite from quarries in Aswan. There are hieroglyphs demonstrating their devotion to the gods, especially Amun Ra, the king of the Egyptian gods.

Colorful Details Protected from the Elements

There are so many features, columns, statues, hieroglyphs, and even a pool for purifying the bodies of the pharaohs and priests, that visiting the Karnak Temple Complex is overwhelming. You could visit the temples hundreds of times and still find something new on every visit. We visited with a professional Egyptologist as a guide and he provided a wealth of information to us as we walked through the complex. He was able to point out which features were built by which pharaohs and helped us understand why it was so important to them to create such impressive structures.

Even though the temples have been flooded by the Nile River, been effected by earthquakes, and defaced by the early Christians as well as other Egyptians, the remaining details are simply staggering. To walk through a site that was so important to connect the pharaohs with their gods is truly humbling. It is hard to digest how difficult it must have been thousands of years ago to create these temples and statues on the scale that they did. With the limited tools available at the time, the talent and ingenuity of the people that built these structures, carved the statues, and painted the hieroglyphs is nothing short of amazing.

If you are planning a visit to Egypt, taking time to go to Luxor and visit the Karnak Temple Complex is something that cannot be missed. In many ways, we were even more impressed with the temples in Luxor than of the pyramids that are so often the focus of people when they visit Egypt. It is experience that you will never forget.