The King’s Festivities Road, Ancient processional path between Karnak and Luxor temples in Luxor, Egypt
The King's Festivities Road is an ancient processional path between two major temples in Luxor, lined with stone sphinxes on both sides. The sphinxes stand in long rows and display different forms, combining various animal bodies and head types.
The path was built during Egypt's New Kingdom era and completed under Nectanebo I, connecting two major religious centers. The road served as an important sacred route through ancient Thebes for centuries.
The road served as the stage for the annual Opet Festival, when priests carried deity statues in grand processions from one sanctuary to another. Visitors can still imagine how thousands of people participated in these religious celebrations and treated the avenue as a sacred pathway.
The site is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and guided tours in various languages help explain the features along the path. Wearing comfortable shoes is wise, and visiting in early morning or late afternoon helps avoid midday heat.
The sphinxes display three distinct forms: lion bodies with ram heads, complete ram figures, and traditional sphinxes with human heads. This mix of different animal figures makes the path visually varied and is easy to notice when looking closely.
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