The site of Deir El Bahari has both temples and symbolic tombs of the pharaohs Mentuhotep II, Thuthmosis III and Hatshapsut. Mentuhotep II was the first to build a temple here during the Middle Kingdom. The terraced architecture of the temple was unique and had never been used before. Around 600 years later during the New Kingdom, Hatshapsut built a temple similar in design but on a much larger scale.
Little remains of the temples of Menuhotep II and Thuthmosis III’s structures. The striking monument of Hatshapsut dominates the landscape and was built by the architect Senenmut. The temple,which was called Djeser Djeseru, or Holy of Holies, has several chapels dedicated to Hathor, Amun and Anubis.
The temple is in an excellent state of preservation and the carvings on the walls relate many of Hatshapsut’s great feats. In one scene, her divine birth is shown to legitimize her role as pharaoh, which was contested due to her being a woman. Another famous scene details an expedition to a land that was known as Punt, which to this day, scholars are uncertain of its exact location. The scene shows the Egyptians traded entire trees of myrrh and animals among other things.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
09:00 AM
05:00 PM
