|
|
The Medinet Habu temple is the
common name given to the Ramses III` s mortuary temple. The
antique temple is situated on the Nile’s West Bank, in Luxor,
Egypt. This building has an important artistic and architectural
significance and it is also important for its relief that
depicts the Sea People’s defeat during the Ramses III`s reign.
The temple’s length is 150 meters, has an orthodox design and
looks like the Ramses II`s mortuary temple. The precinct has
about 210 meters; the walls are well preserved and are
decorated. The initial entrance of the Medinet Habu temple is
represented by a gate-house, which is fortified and called
migdol (a common feature of the Asian fortresses). The chapels
of Shepenupet II, Amenirdis I and Nitiqret are situated to the
South of the temple, right inside an enclosure. The chapels were
called the ‘Divine Adoratrice of Amun’. The first pylon guides
you to the open courtyard where the gigantic Ramses III`s
statues are lined. On one side are columns and on the other side
are the statues of Osiris. The second pylon is the guide to the
peristyle hall where are also columns with the shape of Ramses.
There is a ramp leading to the third pylon (through a portico
with columns). Next is a big hypostyle hall that no longer has
its roof. Inside the temple heads of some foreign captives were
found, which may show that Ramses III had control over Nubia and
Syria. The Medinet Habu temple had a church inside of it, during
the Coptic period, but it was removed. In the Coptic times were
also carvings that altered some carvings that were in the
principal wall of the The Medinet Habu temple. |
|
