The Mortuary Temple of Ramses III (aka: Medinat Habu) has well preserved Ancient Egyptian art and architecture. Walk through the remnants of the workers' mud brick houses at the rear of the site, and then into the grandness of the temples. Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III oversaw the building of the original temple of Amun which was later walled in to the complex by Ramses III.
The entrance to this temple complex is through the singular Syrian Gate, this large building is particular to Madinat Habu and is carved with giant images of the Ramses III defeating the Libyans.
Ramses III’s magnificent memorial temple of Medinat Habu, fronted by sleepy Kom Lolah village and backed by the Theban mountains, is one of the west bank's most underrated sites. This was one of the first places in Thebes closely associated with the local god Amun. At its height, Medinat Habu contained temples, storage rooms, workshops, administrative buildings, a royal palace and accommodation for priests and officials. It was the centre of the economic life of Thebes for centuries.
Ramses III, The second pharaoh of the twentieth dynasty, is considered the last great pharaoh of Egypt and his mortuary temple is covered with reliefs of his conquests. His reign lasted from 1186 to 1155 BC. The memorial temple has 7,000 square meters of well-preserved decorated surfaces. Queen Hatshepsut and Thutmose III built the Medinet Habu temple; Ramses III later chose the site as his memorial temple, enclosing the original temple inside his complex.
Meaning of “Madinet Habu”
The ancient Egyptian name for Madinet Habu, in Arabic the "City of Habu" was Djamet, meaning "males and mothers." Its holy ground was believed to be where the Ogdoad, the four pairs of first primeval gods, were buried.
Medinet Habu was both a temple and a complex of temples dating from the New Kingdom. It adjoins the cultivation at the southern end of the Theban necropolis, opposite southern Luxor. The area was one of the earliest places within the Theban region to be associated with the worship of Amun. Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III built a small temple to Amun on the site of an earlier structure. Next to their temple, Ramesses III built his mortuary temple, Medinet Habus most conspicuous standing monument.
History of the place
Through the centuries, ancient Egyptians, as well as modern day local farmers considered the Medinet Habu temple to have magical powers. The temple protected the Theban people during the late 20th century dynasty during the Libyan invasions and was the site of many annual festivals in association with Amun, in his form as God of Fertility and Creator.
Ramses III modeled the entrance to his mortuary temple after the Syrian fortresses he had seen during his Syrian war campaigns. The Migdol Gate is based on the gatehouse of these Syrian citadels. This design gives the memorial temple a fortress look to it, especially since it was originally closed in by a 35’ thick, 60’ high mud brick wall. At the entrance also stand two statues of Sekhmet. Above the Migdol Gate is where Ramses III relaxed with his harem. The harem boasts reliefs of dancing girls.
Medinet Habu Design
A small temple stands to the right of the Migdol Gate that was originally built and decorated by Hatshepsut in 1490 BC. Across from this temple are the Chapels of Votaresses. These were added during the 25th Dynasty of Nubian Kings, dating back to the 700’s BC. Votaresses were the governors of Thebes and the high priestesses of Amun.
The main facade faces the southeast and is asymmetrical. A Ptolemaic Pylon juts out on the right side of the facade. The pylon, recently restored, is brightly decorated with a winged sun-disc.
Visiting the Mortuary Temple Of Ramesses III
Visitors to Medinet Habu typically enter the site via a giant gateway that has two huge columns on either side. After passing through the gateway one can see the ruins of Ramesses III royal palace, and one really needs to spend some time taking in the sight of these ruins in order to fully appreciate the wealth of royalty during the New Kingdom era.
The 210 by 300 meter temple precinct is home to roughly 7,000 square meters of well preserved reliefs. Many of these show depictions relating the defeat of the Sea Peoples during the reign of Ramesses III. Others depict scenes relating to various religious rituals and ceremonies, all of which are among the best preserved reliefs ever found.
After passing through the first pylon visitors will find themselves in a huge courtyard that’s lined with massive statues of Ramesses III on one side and plain columns on the other. Visitors than then proceed through the second and third pylons which lead them to the old hypostyle hall. The hall would have at one time had a roof, but it is no longer there today.
The hypostyle hall is once again home to many well preserved reliefs, but one of the most interesting things about the hall, is the fact that archeologists discovered a large number of human heads on display. It is believed that they once belonged to captives and were put on display as a symbol of Ramesses III control of Nubia and Syria. Visitors today however won’t see any heads since they were all removed from the site.
Beside the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, there is also a small temple dedicated to the god Amun. This temple was originally built by Queen Hatshepsut and then later altered by King Tuthmosis III, before being modified once again during the Roman period.
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