Medinet Habu or Habu temple is one of the most impressive, a must see temple in Egypt. Its the best preserved of all the mortuary temples of Luxor Egypt.
Containing more than 7.000sq.m (75.350sq. ft) of decorated surface across its walls showing an excellent example of the New Kingdom temple.
The modern name of the site Medinet Habu temple or “city of Habu” is often said to have originated from the temple of Amenophis son of Habu, which stood a few hundred meters to the north. In ancient Egypt Medinet Habu temple was called Djamet means the holly ground.
During the time of king RamsesIII Medinet Habu functioned as the administrative center of western Thebes. It was here of example, that the workmen who cionstructed the royal tombs is Valley of the Kings came to demand payment when they went on strike and It was the great fortified complex that many of the area inhabitant took refuge when upper Egypt was engulfed in civil war by the end of the 20th dynasty.
The temple beginning is unique as it looks like an Asiatic fortress, flanked by 2 statues of the lioness headed goddess Sekhmet the war goddess and the guardian of the temples. Followed by a big tower shows the power of RamsesIII killing his enemies in front of god Amun Ra and god Ra Hor Akhty while wearing the white crown of upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt.
The back of this big tower shows the victory of RamsesIII over the Libyans and the sea people. Showing himself riding his war chariot and crushing them with no return. All side walls and columns show the king smiting all of his enemies and offering them to the Egyptian gods
This court once had few statues of king RamsesIII in the Osirin attitude with some of his kids, unfortunately all of them are badly damaged except one. While the colors and carvings on the walls are still very well preserved showing RamsesIII offering offerings to various deities of ancient Egypt.
Unfortunately the hall of columns was totally damaged by some earthquakes and few columns were dismantled and its stones were reused and so do the sanctuary.
There are few side chapels around the hall of columns showing RamseIII offering offerings or praying with the baboons to god Ra.
