{luhk'-sohr}
Luxor (1990 est. pop., 138,000), a city in upper Egypt, is located at the site of ancient Thebes. Located 740 km (460 mi) south of Cairo on the Nile River, it was the capital of ancient Egypt during the 11th dynasty (c.2130-1990 BC) but particularly in the New Kingdom (c.1570-1085 BC). To the ancient Egyptians, Luxor was known as Waset, or No, meaning "the city" (Ezek. 30:14 and Nah. 3:8). The Greeks called it Thebes, which was probably derived from Tape, a name of the great temple of Karnak, which is near the city. Both Karnak and the smaller temple of Luxor are on the east side of the river. On the west bank are the famous colossi of King Amenhotep III(c.1417-1379 BC), the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, the Ramesseum and other royal mortuary temples, and the finely decorated tombs of high officials.
The temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amon-Re, was begun by Amenhotep III(who built its great colonnades), and added to by Tutankhamen, Horemheb, and Ramses II.