Temple of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut was an important person in Ancient Egypt, she was one of the only women to rule the kingdom, a job that was usually done by a man.  The story goes that Hatshepsut’s father died, King Tuthmosis I, and since he had no sons to carry on as Pharaoh, Hatshepsut decided to take over and rule the Kingdom, but used her stepson Tutmosis III as a decoy and made it seem like he was ruling. 

Temple of Hatshepsut behind the Valley of the Kings.

By the time she died Hatshepsut had changed the face of the kingdom.  She had peacefully increased trade with several other regions, and of course had added several monuments to the land.  The greatest being her final resting spot the Temple of Hatshepsut. 

Some of statues guarding the temple.

It is an amazing structure that looks like it is almost part of the mountain that it is built in front of.  It was beautifully decorated and had several images of Hatshepsut painted throughout.  Unfortunately once she died Tutmosis III, her stepson, really did take power and he was so angry that she prevented him from ruling for years that he decided to destroy all the images of Hatshepsut in the Kingdom.  Luckily statues were considered sacred and god-like so Tutmosis III didn’t dare destroy those.  You can still see some of the statues of Hatshepsut in the temple, and even visit her obelisk that stands in Karnak Temple which is considered to be another sacred monument.

 

The obelisk that Hatshepsut added to Karnak Temple when she was ruler of the Kingdom.  Her stepson couldn't destroy it once he became true ruler because it was considered sacred, so he built a wall around it instead so that no one could see it.