The ancient Egyptians believed that temples were homes of the gods and goddesses. Every temple was dedicated to a god or goddesses and he or she was worshiped there by the temple priests and the pharaoh. Few people were allowed to see the inside of the temples. One of the mysterious places in ancient Egypt was the inside of a temple. One of the temples was Temple of Luxor.
The front of, Temple of Luxor was build to impress everyone that saw it. It was the home of a god or goddess. The two blocks that make up the facade are called the pylon. In front of the pylon are the two obelisks. As you enter the doorway into the courtyard. .
Ordinary ancient Egyptians may have been allowed to enter the courtyard on special festivals days, but could go no further into the temple. On the rest of the days of the years, they were not even allowed to enter the courtyard. A row of palm columns surrounds the courtyard and another pylon is the gateway into the next room.
This is called the hypostyle hall. The columns in this room are shaped to look like papyrus plants. The ones in the centre where the light shines are open as though they are blooming. The columns in the dark corners of the room are closed as though the buds have not yet. Walk to the doorway into the next hall.
This hall does not have any light shining in, and it is very dark. Only specials priests were allowed to see this part of the temple. This is because it is the most sacred part of the temple, the sanctuary. In the sanctuary is where the satatue of the god or goddess would have lived.
As you step out of the temple your eyes adjust to the bright sunlight. In front there it is a large pool of water. This is the sacred lake, once used in temple rituals.
Temples were the homes of the god or goddess and it was important to take good care of the god or goddesses so that they would protect Egypt and bring wealth and prosperity to the country.