Temple of Queen Hatshepsut briefly. Temple of Hatshepsut in Egypt
We continue our walk through the Theban necropolis. From Medinet Habu, where the memorial temple of Ramses III is located, we will go to Deir el-Bahri. In this complex there are three temples at once - Mentuhotep II, Thutmose III, and most importantly - the Aritsa Hatshepsut, tombs in a style absolutely unique to ancient Egypt.
Deir el-Bahri from a hot air balloon
On the left in the foreground we see the Ramesseum - the funeral temple of Ramses II. However, as I already mentioned in the last post, we didn’t go into it, we just passed by. I took a couple of shots while walking from the bus, and they obviously didn't turn out well.
It's better to look at the Ramesseum from a hot air balloon)
Well, now let's enter the Deir el-Bahri complex
There are a lot of caves around where various tombs are hidden.
One of the important tombs here is the hypogeum of Senmut, the chief architect of the temple of Hatshepsut
If the weather permits, you can walk here endlessly. Climb, admire the desert landscapes, and, of course, explore the tombs, of which there are countless numbers.
But since it’s 40 degrees outside and there’s smog, we’ll go straight to the main temple
The temple of Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut in ancient times was called Djeser Djeseru - “The Most Sacred of the Sacred.” This is an absolutely unique creation in style, with impeccable classical harmony. But it was erected a thousand years before the Parthenon in Athens!
Like any self-respecting temple, it is guarded by falcons (Horus or Horus - the god of the sky and the sun in the guise of a falcon, a man with the head of a falcon or winged sun, the son of the fertility goddess Isis and Osiris)
And decorated with sphinxes
Djeser Djeseru consisted of three large terraces, decorated with porticoes with snow-white limestone proto-Doric columns
In the center the terraces were divided by massive ramps leading upward to the temple sanctuary
And here is the sanctuary itself
Once upon a time there were thousands of unique reliefs here
Narrating the main events of the reign of Queen Hatshepsut
And the temple was crowned with a giant portrait of Hatshepsut herself in the form of a sphinx. The portrait of Hatshepsut was supposed to be visible from ships sailing down the Nile (this was the main purpose of the structure), so the place was chosen specifically under a rock - so that there would be something to attach the portrait to.
However, little has survived here, for many reasons. Hatshepsut seized the throne after the death of her husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II. In theory, Thutmose III was supposed to become pharaoh, but at that time he was still just a child, and Hatshepsut usurped power, becoming a “regent.” She immediately organized massive construction, which continued throughout her reign (about 15 years). However, as soon as the true heir came to power, he ordered the immediate destruction of all the queen’s creations.
Thutmose still behaved relatively humanely, since he did not order the destroyed sculptures to be completely destroyed, but to be buried not far from the temple. This shows, in my opinion, how great the Egyptian civilization was - they knew how to appreciate beauty even if it was produced by your enemies.
Unfortunately, modern Egypt has not preserved its great traditions and attitude towards culture. When, at the end of the 19th century, first Gaston Maspero and then an American expedition excavated Deir el-Bahri, they discovered thousands of sculptures, columns and other artifacts. They contacted the local “antiquities department” and asked what to do? In Egypt they did not skimp and answered “take it, we don’t mind.” Now the Metropolitan has an entire department (almost a building) with exhibits from the Temple of Hatshepsut. And here we see only some of the remains.
Egyptians are generally generous people. When the crazy Nasser started building his dam, he completely destroyed the floor of ancient Egypt, and flooded dozens of ancient temples (if not hundreds). The whole world was horrified and organized an operation to save the temples. Nasser was not stingy - “whatever you save is yours.” Now a whole ancient temple stands in the center of Madrid, and others are in Berlin, London, New York, Paris, and so on.
Only the great Abu Simbel, who also saved the whole world, survived from all this fucked-up. The temple was cut down and moved to a mountain 60 meters above its original location. Of course, there will be a separate post about this.
I have a very ambivalent attitude towards all this. I try not to be a colonialist, but sometimes it seems to me that this is for the best - let the churches be kept in Europe and America, where they know how to respect culture, and what happened in Palmyra, and what happens every day in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, will not happen.
On the other hand, given what has been happening in Europe in recent years, no one has said that our cultural heritage is safe there.
In conclusion, I just want to ask - let's treat our cultural values with more respect and understanding. After all, in fact, this is all we have.
Well, now let's get back to the reliefs
There are many images of bulls preserved here. In Egypt they have a completely special attitude.
Even Pharaohs do not hesitate to drink from their udders
And Anubis himself is following them
Here is another bull, majestically walking on the ankhs
I especially like the bull's "collar"
In addition to bulls, there are amazing lions here
Pharaohs in typical skirts)
And of course falcons
Because the falcon, in addition to being the god Horus, is also a symbol of Lower Egypt
Let's make the last outer round
Remains of the Temple of Mentuhotep II
This arch has it all. And the bull, and the falcon, and the scarab, the dung beetle, the most revered insect of Egypt
Looking down from the upper terrace. While we were walking around the temple, the smog took over the Valley of the Kings
Finally - one more shot of the temple from the air
Let's leave. Unique structure. All other temples in Egypt are, of course, unique in their own way, but the style is a little similar. This one is very special. And absolutely modern. I wonder if he influenced La Corbusier, and modernism and functionalism in general.
After the Temple of Hatshepsut we went to the Colossi of Memnon. I thought about writing about them here, but I see it's getting too much. So there will be a separate post. The colossi deserve it.
The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut is an ancient landmark located in the desert near Thebes, more precisely in Deir El Bahri. The temple was found during excavations in the 19th century along with the discovery of several other funeral temples.
In ancient times, the temple was called Djeser Djeseru, which translated means “most sacred.” It was built over nine years from 1482 to 1473. BC e. in the seventh year of the reign of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut. The architecture of the temple was carried out by Senmut, who was known as an outstanding architect and statesman.
The temple has an external resemblance to the palace-tomb of Mentuhotep and is even considered its continuation, despite the fact that it is larger in size. The structure is partially cut into the mountain, its width is approximately forty meters. Its main component is three large terraces, decorated with rows of white limestone columns, visually similar to a honeycomb. In the center of each terrace there is a ramp leading upstairs. Inside the temple there are a large number of rooms that were sanctuaries and burial rooms. The main decoration of the temple are numerous statues and sphinxes with the face of the queen, as well as ancient paintings depicting various events during the reign of the queen. The lower terrace adjoins a long alley about forty meters wide, on which myrrh trees are planted and sand sphinxes are displayed. Three steps in the form of large terraces lead to the temple. Previously, entire gardens were laid out on these terraces, trees were planted, and ponds were equipped.
Queen Hatshepsut became the sovereign ruler of Egypt after the death of her husband Thutmose II and from the first year of her reign began building grandiose structures, including a tomb for herself. As a result, the rock temple became the largest and richest structure of that time. The place for the construction of the temple was not chosen by chance. Thanks to its proximity to the temple of Mentuhotep, who became the founder of the 18th dynasty of pharaohs, Hatshepsut wanted to emphasize her right to the throne.
Temple of Hatshepsut (Egypt) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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The Temple of Hatshepsut occupies one of the most important places among all the attractions of Egypt. This majestic structure is located at the base of the sheer cliffs of Deir el-Bahri. The significance of the Temple of Hatshepsut can be judged by the way it was called in ancient times - Djeser Djeseru, or the Most Holy of the Holy. Its construction took nine years, from 1482 to 1473 BC. It is worth noting that the appearance of the temple was very different from all large-scale buildings of that time in its airiness and large number of sculptures. The Temple of Hatshepsut does not look as menacing as many other Egyptian attractions.
The significance of the Egyptian temple of Hatshepsut can be judged by the way it was called in ancient times - Djeser Djeseru, or the Most Holy of the Holy. Its construction took nine years, from 1482 to 1473 BC.
The female pharaoh Hatshepsut is one of the first famous ladies in world history. In addition to being an excellent ruler, Hatshepsut also understood the value of art and erected a huge number of monuments throughout the country. In addition, she restored destroyed landmarks. Only Ramesses II Meriamon built more than Hatshepsut. During her reign, Egypt prospered. Hatshepsut was such a strong personality, literally and figuratively, that she even personally led one of the military campaigns during her reign.
Surprisingly, the location for the temple of Hatshepsut was not chosen by chance, but with the help of precise calculations. It is located on the axis of the Karnak Temple of Amun and at the same time very close to the tomb that was intended for Hatshepsut herself in the Valley of the Kings on the other side of the mountain. The chief architect Senenmut worked on the creation of this temple. Now the temple of Hatshepsut is located practically in the desert - there is not a single tree nearby, and once this area was a real garden with exotic plants and a swimming pool. The frescoes on the walls of the temple tell about the reign of Hatshepsut and the events that took place. Here you can see scenes from life and images of gods.
The Temple of Hatshepsut gradually became a place of pilgrimage for many people. On its walls, scientists found a lot of inscriptions with requests for healing or help.
During the period of early Christianity, the temple housed a Coptic church. After many years, the building fell into ruins. Egyptologist Edouard Naville in 1891 was the first of all scientists to begin the reconstruction of the temple. True, he did not particularly believe in success: restoring the Temple of Hatshepsut was extremely difficult, since many of the details of the attraction were taken from Egypt. But thanks to the efforts of Polish restorers, the temple was eventually restored. By the way, restoration work is still going on.
Practical information
Keep in mind that the temple of Hatshepsut is located almost in the desert and the air temperature is very high. It is most comfortable to visit this attraction in winter, spring or autumn. In any case, you should take plenty of water with you and dress in comfortable clothes.
Address: Desir al-Bahri, Thebes, Luxor
The ancient capital of Egypt, Thebes, was famous for its architectural masterpieces. Its symmetrically located complex of temples can be divided into two parts: on the eastern bank of the Nile, secular buildings settled - houses, palaces, temples (in Karnak and Luxor), while on the western bank everything was dedicated to the dead - pyramids, necropolises, mortuary temples. In this kingdom of the dead, the temples of Abu Simbel (temple of Ramesses II) and, in fact, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor were especially popular.
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut: history and description
After the death of Pharaoh Thutmose II, his wife Hatshepsut assumed power, taking this right from the true successor Thutmose III. With the beginning of her reign, she immediately took up ambitious construction work.
The construction of the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut began during her lifetime. The construction of this majestic structure was led by the architect Senmut. Currently, the area where the temple of Hatshepsut is located in Egypt is called Deir el-Bahri. The location was chosen not far from the temple of Mentuhotep I, who was the founder of the 18th dynasty of pharaohs. Perhaps by this Hatshepsut wanted to emphasize her right to the captured throne. After completion of the work, the rock temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor surpassed all existing similar ancient Egyptian structures - its size, architecture and decoration amazed contemporaries.
Three steps connected by gentle ramps lead to the sanctuary of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahri, carved into the rock. The steps are terraces that in the past contained plants, trees and ponds. On the way to the temple, the traveler was accompanied by brightly painted sphinxes, with the heads of Hatshepsut in the image of Osiris.
The lowest step is surrounded by a wall decorated with falcons. At the end of this terrace there is a portico with 22 columns and a ramp separating them. In the old days, lion figures and huge statues of Queen Hatshepsut were located here. On the same tier there are images telling about forgotten military parades and construction work.
The second tier of the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Luxor in some ways repeats the lower step - there is also a portico and a ramp leading to the step above. Previously there was a pond with trees here. Reliefs at this level tell about the life of Queen Hatshepsut herself, about the expedition she organized to the country of Punt (East African settlements). The staircase contains figures of cobras with falcons on their backs. Cobras are a symbol of Upper Egypt, Falcons are a symbol of Lower Egypt, the whole composition symbolizes the unity of a large state. Here again you come across several sphinxes.
Hatshepsut as the Sphinx
The topmost tier is intended directly for rituals. The entrance to the rock-cut sanctuary of Hatshepsut was once decorated with a portico with huge statues of the queen, which were visible even to ships sailing on the Nile.
Entrance to the Sanctuary
Behind the entrance there was a complex system of rocky underground halls, richly decorated with the best materials of antiquity. For example, the main door was made of black copper with gold and silver inserts. The statues of Hatshepsut-Osiris were also located here.
Osiric Hatshepsut
In total, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Thebes used to contain about 200 statues, of which 140 were sphinxes. The sculptures of the temple represent the queen in three images - pharaoh, Osiris and sphinx. When creating them, special attention was paid to reproducing a detailed image of the queen, so in our time we can accurately imagine what she looked like.
But all this beauty was not destined to live long. After the true heir Thutmose III came to power, everything that reminded him of the usurper was ordered to be destroyed. The rock temple of Hatshepsut was also subjected to such repression, in which all the sculptures were destroyed and buried not far from the temple. And only many centuries later, archaeologists managed to restore the picture of the former greatness of the temple and present it to tourists and other lovers of antiquity.
In the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the town of Deir el-Bahri, there is a famous mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh from the 18th dynasty who reigned from 1525-1503. BC e. Its architecture, history and appearance are as unusual as the very appearance of a female ruler among the rulers of Ancient Egypt. Over the three thousand years of Egyptian history, there were three more female pharaohs, in addition to Hatshepsut: Tetisheri, Ahho-tep II, Ahmose-Nefertari. But Hatshepsut turned out to be the most talented and famous among them.
The daughter of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmes, Hatshepsut was the half-sister and great wife of Thutmose II. This king did not reign for long and died, leaving behind an heir, Thutmose III, his son by one of his younger wives. At the time of his father's death, Thutmose III was too young, and Hatshepsut was appointed regent. However, she soon proclaimed herself the sole and rightful ruler of Egypt, taking the title Djeser-Djeseru - the Greatest of the Greatest. The 15 years of Hatshepsut's reign became one of the brightest pages in the history of the 18th dynasty. During her reign, victorious military campaigns were waged in Asia and Nubia; in the ninth year of her reign, she carried out an expedition to Punt (the lands of East Africa) for mahogany. The real monument of her era is the tomb in Deir el-Bahri.
The great construction of the temple began around 1518 BC. e. and lasted almost 15 years. The temple was erected under the leadership of the outstanding architect priest Senenmut, the Supreme Manager of Amon, the favorite and court architect of Hatshepsut. The choice of location was also successful. The temple was located in a valley that had been considered sacred for more than five centuries and was dedicated to Isis, the divine wife of Osiris, who ruled the underworld. Not far from it, but on the other side of the mountain, in the Valley of the Kings, they built a tomb for Hatshepsut.
The original construction of Senenmut has no analogues in ancient Egyptian architecture. Instead of the traditional massive pylons and gloomy, shadowed halls, there are three open terraces rising above each other along the mountainside. These terraces served as burial places for the priests of Amon. From the tomb began the Processional Road, framed by two rows of sphinxes. It flowed into the first courtyard, bounded on the west by a portico with 22 columns, and on the sides by two colossal statues of the queen. Now this place is called the Portico of the Obelisks, because its bas-reliefs illustrated the transport of two tall granite obelisks from Aswan and their erection at the Temple of Karnak. In the northern part there was a portico of the Hunt, decorated with scenes of ritual hunting and fishing.
On either side of the porticos are small shrines to the god Anubis and the goddess Hathor. Both consist of 12-column halls located on the terrace and interior spaces going deep into the rock massif. The columns of the Hathor sanctuary are decorated with capitals in the form of the goddess's face, and on the walls there is a seated figure of the queen's husband Thutmose II, whose hand is licked by a cow - Hathor's sacred animal.
From the outer courtyard, an inclined ramp led to the roof of the first colonnade. It was also a courtyard. Further, another staircase led to the roof of the second colonnade. In its depths was the sanctuary of the god Amon. From the first courtyard to the second and to the upper terrace there were two successive ramps, limited on the west by porticos. The railing of the ramp connecting the second and third terraces of the temple was decorated with images of a giant cobra, whose tail rose up the railing. Above the head of the snake, which personified the patroness of Lower Egypt, the goddess Wadjet, is an image of Horus of Bekhdet, the deity of Upper Egypt.
The composition of the southern portico of the second tier told about the expedition to the kingdom of Punt, which glorified the queen. The artists captured the Egyptian fleet and the landscape features of East Africa with forests of fragrant trees. King and Queen Punta are also represented here, bringing gifts to Hatshepsut: precious wood, incense, ointments, animal skins, gold and slaves.
Having removed Thutmose III from the reign, Hatshepsut could not help but once again emphasize her sacred right to power. Therefore, the main subject of the reliefs of the northern portico was the story of the divine birth of Hatshepsut. According to the official legend, recorded in the paintings, the great Theban god Amun took the form of Hatshepsut's earthly father, Thutmose I, and entered the chambers of her mother Ahmes. This composition ends with the scene of the divine birth of the ruler.
Hatshepsut was never able to overcome the tradition according to which only a man could be pharaoh. This was evident in the iconography of the queen, who was depicted in male attire and with a false beard. Each of the columns of the porticos is decorated with a statue of the queen in the image of Osiris with a long beard, in a white robe and with her arms crossed on her chest, in which she holds the royal scepters.
The creator of the temple, Senenmut, could not resist glorifying his name. His images are found in Deir el-Bahri, however, apparently, their appearance was secret: located near doorways, they were always hidden by a swinging door. In addition, on the territory of the first terrace, Senenmut began building a tomb for himself, so that even after death he would be closer to his own creation. Scientists do not know the reason why Senenmut fell into disgrace by the end of his work. The architect's tomb remained unfinished, and all his names on the walls were carefully destroyed.
The creation created by the architect even now seems to be a model of perfection, the personification of the eternal canons of beauty. However, Senenmut only developed the ideas of his predecessors. Thus, to the left of the Temple of Hatshepsut, the ruins of the funeral complex of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II (2055-2004 BC) were discovered: this structure had a similar architecture.
In Greco-Roman times, in the sanctuary of Deir el-Bahri, images of the great sages and healers Imhotep and Amenhotep, the son of Xapu, were carved next to the images of Amun. The hope of getting rid of diseases and faith in the sanctity of this place brought many people here. The walls of the temple to this day keep ancient inscriptions with requests for help.
During the period of early Christianity, the temple of Hatshepsut became the Coptic church, and later, around the 7th century. fell into disrepair and completely collapsed.
In 1891, the Englishman Naville excavated it and was the first to begin developing plans for reconstruction. Later, the excavations were continued by famous Egyptologists Winlock and Barez. Many fragments of sculpture and reliefs ended up outside of Egypt.
In 1961, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser commissioned restorers from the Polish National Center for Mediterranean Archeology to restore the Temple of Hatshepsut. Year after year, scientists collected information bit by bit and recreated reliefs, statues, and architectural elements. By the beginning of the 70s. XX century this painstaking work returned the monument to its original appearance.
Hatshepsut's glory was short-lived, shortly after the construction was completed, in 1503 BC. e., her name disappears from the pages of Egyptian history. Whether natural death or a palace coup was the reason remains a mystery. Thutmose III, who came to power, ordered the chronicles to be rewritten, the queen’s name was replaced with his own or the names of his predecessors. All the deeds and monuments of the queen were henceforth attributed to him personally. Nevertheless, her temple was still the most important cult center in Egypt.
