Luxor Illustrated: With Aswan, Abu Simbel, and the Nile

by Michael Haag

Luxor stands on the site of ancient Thebes, Egypt’s opulent New Kingdom capital. It encompasses the spectacular temples of Luxor and Karnak on the east bank of the Nile, and on the west bank the vast necropolis, which includes the Colossi of Memnon, the famed Ramesseum, Queen Hatshepsut’s magnificent funerary temple, and the Valley of the Kings, riddled with royal tombs, among them the fabled resting place of Tutankhamun. The splendor and profusion of pharaonic monuments at Luxor justifies its reputation as the greatest outdoor museum in the world. Reaching beyond Luxor, this book also covers all the major sites of Upper Egypt, including Abydos, Dendera, Esna, Edfu, and Kom Ombo. Special attention is given to Aswan, one of the most beautiful places in Egypt, with its nearby island temple of Isis at Philae. The climax of this informed and richly illustrated book comes with the remarkable temples at Abu Simbel, with their colossal figures of Ramesses II and his lovely wife Nefertari cut from the living rock.

Genres: Egypt, Nonfiction, History

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2009

About the author

Michael Haag, who lived in London, was a writer, historian and biographer. He wrote widely on the Egyptian, Classical and Medieval worlds; and on the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Reviews

[Pat Byrd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great photos of Luxor sites along with descriptions of the sites and their significance. Great to take a look at if you are traveling to the region

[Brett Childs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it handy to follow along with the text and images with google’s street view.
Lots of coloured images to flesh things out, definitely gives a feel for the areas of upper Egypt.

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very general