The Temple of Luxor - Part V, Hypostyle Hall
Luxor, Egypt.
Adjoining the court to the south is the Hypostyle Hall, comprising gigantic columns arranged in four rows of eight columns each. The hall stands today as a somewhat cheerless ruin, though the walls still have reliefs of Amenhotep III before the Theban deities. The columns bear the cartouches of Ramses IV, Ramscs VI, Ramses II and SetiI, mentioning the repairs carried out in their respective reigns.
To the left of the hypo-style hall stands an altar bearing Latin inscriptions dedicated to the Emperor Augustus . Adjoining the rear wall(to left and right) are two small shrines, one to Mut and one to Khonsu. The section leading off the rear originally had eight columns, which were removed when the area was converted into a church. The doorway to the sanctuary was walled into a curved recess flanked by two granite Corinthian columns,and the exquisite 18th Dynasty reliefs were plastered over and painted with Christian themes. In places where the stucco has fallen off one can see the reliefs of Amenhotepbeneath.
The Temple of Luxor - Part V, Hypostyle Hall
Luxor, Egypt.
Adjoining the court to the south is the Hypostyle Hall, comprising gigantic columns arranged in four rows of eight columns each. The hall stands today as a somewhat cheerless ruin, though the walls still have reliefs of Amenhotep III before the Theban deities. The columns bear the cartouches of Ramses IV, Ramscs VI, Ramses II and SetiI, mentioning the repairs carried out in their respective reigns.
To the left of the hypo-style hall stands an altar bearing Latin inscriptions dedicated to the Emperor Augustus . Adjoining the rear wall(to left and right) are two small shrines, one to Mut and one to Khonsu. The section leading off the rear originally had eight columns, which were removed when the area was converted into a church. The doorway to the sanctuary was walled into a curved recess flanked by two granite Corinthian columns,and the exquisite 18th Dynasty reliefs were plastered over and painted with Christian themes. In places where the stucco has fallen off one can see the reliefs of Amenhotepbeneath.
