Luxor obelisks: where they stand and how to see them

At Luxor you’ll find it in front of the pylon, beside the seated colossi of Ramesses II³. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities describes the pair as 25-metre² obelisks, though Wikipedia says they weren’t the same height but were placed to look as if they were³.

The smaller one is the one that left: it stands 23 metres¹ high in Paris. Why put them in pairs at all? According to Egypt’s ministry, obelisks:

• usually stood in pairs in front of temple entrances⁴
• were tied to solar mythology⁴

Wikivoyage says the student rate applies up to age 30¹¹.

A few ways to get more from the visit:

• See it from outside. Wikivoyage says the temple’s low surrounding barrier lets you see it well from the street, with a good photo from outside the northern end¹¹ if you have a zoom lens.
• Come back after dark. Wikivoyage recommends a repeat visit at night¹¹, when the temple is lit.
• Look up inside. The small Mosque of Abu Haggag stands on top of the ancient columns³ inside the temple.

For the courts, colonnades and everything beyond the pylon, see the guide to visiting Luxor Temple in Luxor, Egypt.

Access for wheelchair users

Tour companies rate Luxor Temple as one of the easier ancient sites to get around:

• Egypt Day Tours says the main axis is flat and largely wheelchair-accessible¹³.
• Egypt Tours Plus calls it relatively accessible compared with many ancient Egyptian sites¹⁴.
• Egypt Tours Plus also says wheelchair users can get around substantial sections¹⁴ of the complex.

If you only have time for one set, Wikivoyage’s view is that Luxor Temple has more of the large statues but less impressive obelisks¹¹ than Karnak.

The oldest obelisk still in its original spot is elsewhere: Wikipedia names a 20.7 m⁹ red granite obelisk of Senusret I at Heliopolis, today el-Masalla, El Matareya, Cairo²⁴.

Heading to Aswan, about 220 km¹⁸ south? Egypt’s ministry believes Hatshepsut commissioned the Unfinished Obelisk for the temple of Amun at Karnak⁴. Steam Ship Sudan’s cruise from Luxor to Aswan lasts 6 days²⁵; see a typical Nile cruise itinerary or compare small-group sailing boats in Egypt.