Luxor Egypt • The World’s Greatest Open Air Museum

Luxor the World's greatest open air Museum - Egypt
Luxor the World’s greatest open air Museum – Egypt

Have you heard about Luxor in Egypt? No? Well, how about the Colossi of Memnon? Or the Hatshepsut’s Temple? Not yet?how about the Karnak temple?

Come on… not yet? The Valley of the Kings and the famous tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun??? Ahh!! I knew Luxor was familiar with your traveler’s knowledge. Impossible not to be.

The list of famous Egyptian historical sites in Luxor could go on and on such as Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Medina, The Ramesseum, Medinet Habu or even Malkata.

Luxor, from the Arabic El-Uqsur (meaning “the palaces” or “the castles”), located on the shores of the Nile River, is Egypt’s most well-kept travel destination. The ancient Egyptian city of Thebes is one of the UNESCO Sites In Egypt.

A place as old as thousands of years, it was initially a mysterious provincial town during the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Its importance arose during Mentuhotep II, by 2055 BC, but it was only in 1550 BC that local princes who eventually freed Egypt from the Hyksos invaders made it a powerful and important city.

Often called the world’s greatest open-air museum, Luxor is an amazing place to visit and to explore its eccentric archaeological sites. On this page, I make a list of 43 photos of Luxor which are undoubted of the city’s major tourist attractions. Don’t forget to leave a comment and share this page with your friends.


Photos of Luxor


Dunes and The Nile river just before arriving in Luxor
Arriving to Luxor by train

Dunes and The Nile river just before arriving in Luxor by train.

4000-year-old Karnak Temple dedicated to Amun, Khonsu and Mut
Karnak Temple
Hieroglyph decorated stone column in Karnak temple
Hieroglyph decorated stone column in Karnak temple

4000-year-old Karnak Temple dedicated to Amun, Khonsu and Mut.

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic carvings at Karnak Temple in Luxor
Karnak Temple

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic carvings at Karnak Temple in Luxor.

Sitting Ramesses II Colossus inside Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple

Sitting Ramesses II Colossus inside Luxor Temple.

People working on the fields seen from a Hot Air Balloon above Luxor
People working on the fields

People working on the fields seen from a Hot Air Balloon above Luxor.

Main entrance to Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor
Temple of Hatshepsut

Main entrance to Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor.

Market and mosque in Luxor City located on the East bank of the Nile
Luxor City

Market and mosque in Luxor City located on the East bank of the Nile.

Luxor Temple complex with Abu al-Haggag Mosque
Luxor Temple and Abu al-Haggag Mosque

Luxor Temple complex with Abu al-Haggag Mosque.

Egyptian Man crossing the Nile river from the East Bank to the West Bank
Egyptian Man on boat

Egyptian Man crossing the Nile river from the East Bank to the West Bank.

Boats anchored on the shore of the West Bank of Luxor
Anchored boats

Boats anchored on the shore of the West Bank of the Nile River in Luxor.

Cute lonely donkey by a stone house in Luxor
Egyptian donkey

Cute lonely donkey by a stone house in Luxor.

Osirian columns representing Hatshepsut inside the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor
Temple of Hatshepsut

Osirian columns representing Hatshepsut inside the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor.

Egyptian guide explaining the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor
Tour guide in Luxor

Egyptian guide explaining the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor.

No entry sign inside a temple in Luxor
Luxor no entry sign

No entry sign inside a temple in Luxor.

Alabaster workshop  in Luxor. The use of alabaster dates back from the Pharaonic eras
Alabaster factory

Alabaster workshop in Luxor. The use of alabaster dates back from the Pharaonic eras.

House with Islamic related paintings depicting Mecca in Saudi Arabia. We can also read the word ALLAH (God) written in Arabic
House in Luxor

House with Islamic related paintings depicting Mecca in Saudi Arabia. We can also read the word ALLAH (God) written in Arabic.

View of the Valley of the Kings and Deir al Bahri
Valley of the Kings

View of the Valley of the Kings and Deir al Bahri seen from above.

Cruise ships in Nile River
Luxor Cruise ships

Cruise ships anchored on the Nile River.

Valley of the Queens in Luxor
Valley of the Queens in Luxor
Typical Architecture in Luxor
Luxor Architecture

Typical Architecture in Luxor.

Luxor Railway Station in the East bank
Luxor Railway Station

Luxor Railway Station in the East bank.

Boat crossing over the Nile river
Boat crossing over the Nile river
Luxor city center on the East Bank
Luxor city center

Luxor city center on the East Bank.

Traditional House in Luxor
House in Luxor

Traditional House in Luxor.

Felucca boats in Luxor harbor
Luxor harbor


Felucca boats in Luxor harbor – Nile River.

Street and temple entrance in Luxor's West Bank
Luxor street scene

Street and temple entrance in Luxor’s West Bank.

Karnak Temple and palm tree in Luxor
Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple and palm tree in Luxor.

Wall carvings depicting an ancient Egyptian ceremony in Karnak Temple
Karnak Temple

Wall carvings depicting an ancient Egyptian ceremony in Karnak Temple.

Statue inside Luxor Karnak temple
Karnak temple

Statue inside Luxor Karnak temple.

Decorated stone columns  with hieroglyphs at the Karnak temple
Karnak temple

Decorated stone columns with hieroglyphs at the Karnak temple.

Egyptian man with traditional clothes in Luxor
Egyptian man

Egyptian man with traditional clothes in Luxor.

Felucca boat on the Nile river in Luxor
Felucca boat on the Nile

Felucca boat on the Nile river in Luxor.

People working on the plantations of the West Bank of Luxor
Plantations in the West Bank

People working on the plantations of the West Bank of Luxor.

Egyptian woman guide explaining the Temple Complex of Karnak in Thebes
Egyptian woman tour guide

Egyptian woman guide explaining the Temple Complex of Karnak in Thebes.

Columns inside the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor
Temple of Hatshepsut

Columns inside the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor.

Deir Bahri tombs in Luxor's West Bank
Deir al Bahri

Deir al Bahri tombs in Luxor’s West Bank.

Row of goat sphinxes at the temple of Karnak
Temple of Karnak

Row of goat sphinxes at the temple of Karnak.

Luxor river side Corniche
Luxor Corniche

Luxor river side Corniche.

Tourists inside Luxor Temple by night
Luxor Temple

Tourists inside Luxor Temple by night.

Hathor, an ancient Egyptian goddess represented as Cow in Hatshepsut Temple
Hatshepsut Temple

Hathor, an ancient Egyptian goddess represented as Cow in Hatshepsut Temple.

Alabaster Factory painted wall in Luxor's West Bank
Alabaster Factory in Luxor

Alabaster Factory painted wall in Luxor’s West Bank.

Beautiful night view of the Luxor Temple
Luxor Temple

Beautiful night view of the Luxor Temple.

Village in the region of Luxor seen from above
Village near Luxor

Village in the region of Luxor seen from above.