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The Temple of Medinat Habu is one of the largest memorial Temples in
Egypt. It measures 320 m in length (East to west) and about 200 m in
width (North to south). It was built to commemorate Ramses III, after
his death, by orders of the King himself. A huge mud brick enclosure
wall surrounds the Temple.
This building basically consists of a huge gate, which takes the
shape of a Syrian fort, and is decorated with battle scenes of the
King's wars in Syria. After accessing the gate there is a shrine, which
dates back to the 18th Dynasty, on the right hand side. There is also a
wide-open court that leads to a huge pylon, which has both towers
decorated with battle scenes. On one tower the King, wearing the red
crown with his "Ka" or "double", smiting his enemies in front of
Re-Horakhty. On the other tower, the King is represented with the red
crown of Lower Egypt, smiting his enemies in front of the God Amon Ra.
One of the most wonderful scenes engraved on the back of the southern
tower, is the oxen hunt, which depicts Ramses III, leading his chariot,
hunting wild oxen. Here you will notice that the sculptor was very
skilful in showing the pain of the wounded animals.
The 1st open court measures 42m long by 33m wide.
Its walls are decorated with battle
scenes fought against the Syrians and the
Libyans.
The 2nd courtyard (42m long by 38m wide) was
converted into a basilica in the early
Christian times, but there are
scenes representing religious ceremonies,
especially the festival of the Gods Sokker
(also spelt Sokar) and Min. Other scenes
represent the King, with the priests, making
offerings to various deities.
The 1st Hypostyle is badly damaged, probably by an
earthquake in 27 B.C. It contained 24
columns in 6 rows, surrounded by 16 chapels:
8 to the right and 8 to the left. Among the
most important shrines on the right side are
the first one, which was dedicated to King
Ramses III, chapel number 2, which was
dedicated to the God Ptah, chapel number 4,
which was consecrated for the boat of the
God Sokker, and chapel number 7 which was
dedicated to the sacred boat of the God Amon
Ra.
The chapels
on the left side were dedicated to storing
the utensils of the Temples, except for
chapel number 14, which was dedicated to the
sacred boat of King Ramses II, and chapel
number15, which was dedicated to the divine
boat of the God Montho.
The 2nd Hypostyle hall contains 8 papyrus columns in
2 rows. The 3rd Hypostyle hall
is similar to the 2nd Hypostyle
hall and its ceiling was supported by 8
columns in 2 rows.
At the end
of this hypostyle hall there are three
entrances, the one in the centre leads to
the sanctuary where the sacred boat of Amon
Ra was placed, the one to the right side
leads to the chapel of the God Khonso while
the one of the left side leads to the chapel
of the Goddess Mut.
The
Sanctuary at the end of the Temple consists
of 3 chapels as mentioned before; it was
dedicated to the “Triad of Thebes”, and was
surrounded by many side chambers.
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