Dedicated to the goddess Mut, Luxor temple was once linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes, a few of which still remain. Once a year, Amun was taken from his shrine in Karnak, and rowed down the river to Luxor temple, to renew his vows to Mut, and re-create his son Khons.

 

Luxor Temple from the air,courtesy of Tour Egypt.

The entrance is at the top right, through the pylons built by Ramses II. The temple was built mainly by Amenhotep III and Ramses II. Amenhotep III was the father of Akhenaten, and possibly the grandfather of Tutankhamen.

The entrance to Luxor Temple, close to sunset. Originally there were two obelisks - the missing one is now in Paris. The statues are of Ramses II, who built more monuments to himself than any other pharoah.
This statue of Ramses shows his wife Nefertari beside him. I guess the Egyptians were not politically correct about the status of women then!

Nefertari again, gently touching Ramses' leg.

Despite convention, it does seem as if it was a love match. Ramses built Nefertari her own temple beside his at Abu Simbel, and her tomb is one of the most perfectly painted ones in Egypt.

Unfortunately, because of the need for conservation, the numbers allowed within are very few, and the ticket price for the tomb is £LE 100.