Located in Luxor, Egypt, the Temple of Hatshepsut is one of the most interesting mortuary temples of Ancient Egypt. It dates back to the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, basically the mid-15th century BCE. Since then, the temple has been one of the most iconic structures in the country. Moreover, many consider it a true ancient architectural masterpiece. The temple is 25 meters tall and nearly 275 meters long. Similarly, it is full of stunning hieroglyphs, tombs, paintings, terraces, shrines, and columns. However, across all mortuary temples in Egypt, the Temple of Hatshepsut manages to stand out because of its appearance. Firstly, the temple consists of three terraces which are stacked on top of each other. Secondly, at its entrance, visitors first see a shrine for Amun Re where normally the mortuary shrine should be.
What makes the Temple of Hatshepsut more interesting is the person to whom it is dedicated. The temple honors and celebrates Hatshepsut who is the second official pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Her story begins with the pharaoh Thutmose II who was her husband. When he died, Hatshepsut took his place as the pharaoh since their child was too young to claim the title. She ruled Egypt for 22 years, by herself at first then alongside his son Thutmose III.
The reign of Hatshepsut was an effective one. During her era, Egypt flourished and it was a time of peace and prosperity. In addition, she was one of the most prolific builders of Ancient Egypt. Aside from the Temple of Hatshepsut which she started its construction in the middle of her reign, she was also responsible for the construction of the Karnak Temple Complex.
Despite her success, it is known that the next pharaoh, Thutmose III, tried to erase every proof of her existence. Many historians speculate as to why he did this but none are able to come up with a decisive answer. Thutmose’s attempt to erase her mother from history ended 2 years later as a new pharaoh came. The new pharaoh, Amenhotep II, immediately stopped the campaign, and later pharaohs acknowledged the temple as a place of worship and respect.
