The Westbank - tombs,
temples and much more

In a exceptional way there is something similiar between Luxor and espacially the West Bank and hole Egypt. Many people hear "Egypt" and connect with this only the pyramids of Giza. If they hear "Luxor" or "Thebes" or more special "Thebes West" they associate promptly the Valley of the kings and the tomb of Tutankhamen, sometimes maybe the temple of Hatshepsut. But Egypt is much more and of course on the West Bank there is much more to see and to go through.

The West Bank that means the world's largest open air museum. Who was strolling around, who was tasting blood he will find everytime something new. For example: the first time you are overwhelmed by the monumetal collumns in the temple Medinet Habu. The next time you will be fascinated by the smaller parts in a different way. Visiting the tombs. First you see the well known ones, but then you look after the small ones like these of the Nobles. Everything is exciting in its own way.

Of course, in touristic way the West Bank is living on the dead pharaos and their estates. It's a museum of mortuary temples and tombs. But there is much more. For instance there is New Qurna, a village built up by revolutionary architect Hassan Fathy. There are mosques, monasteries, churches and, and, and. The West Bank which was once the world of the dead in ancient times changed to a world of living people. All this is worth to be discovered.

With this part of our site we like to present you step by step the not so well known parts of the West Bank. Of course we will not miss something which changes in in the famous sightseeing places. But we don't like to write for the hundredth time about the tomb of Tutankhamen. Our main points shall be the places they are not so much visited or not very well described in guide books. Furtherthemore archeological sites they are just open for visitors or just renewed. And slowly but shurly we will visit for you churches, monasteries, mosques and also so called secular buildings like New Qurna.

And please don't be irritated if you find sometimes something what doesn't fit to this pattern. We like to discover everything for you. And when we find something we hope it is worth to be discovered by you, we will tell you. Because West Bank means more than tombs and temples.

Pictures show from top to bottom:

- View from the pathway in the mountains to the village of the
  workers and artists Deir el Medina
- One of the rare preserved buildings in New Qurna
- Colourful wall painting in the tomb of King Horemhab in
  Kings Valley
- Granite head of Rameses II. in the Ramesseum

(Text and Fotos Antje Sliwka)

The monuments of the West Bank at a glance

Temples

Tombs

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