Travel to Egypt: Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

The axis of the Temple of Hatshepsut is, within 100 meters, a projection of the axis at Karnak, about 5,000 meters to the east. The queen's presumed tomb lies on the other side of the mountain and, although geological instability forced a diversion, was supposed to be on a further projection of that axis.

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Here's the immense lower court and colonnade. The ramp rises to a second courtyard and a middle collonade, then continues up to the upper colonnade and the terrace behind it. A 1,200-foot sphinx-lined causeway extended from this lower court to a canal at the edge of the cultivated area.

Much has been rebuilt here.

The middle and upper colonnades, the upper with statues of Hatshepsut as Osiris.

A closer view of that upper colonnade.

Osiris, as usual, appears holding a crook and flail, agricultural implements perhaps associated with the god's original character as a fertility god.

The upper colonnade has a doorway into the upper terrace and its chapel, here in the distance.

This upper terrace was originally a roofed hall.

Granite door frames at the entrance to the three-roomed chapel, closed to the public.