Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt with around 308,000 people, situated on both banks of the Nile about 500 kilometres south of Cairo. The modern city occupies part of the site of ancient Thebes, one of the most important cities of ancient Egypt and the capital of the country during periods of the Middle and New Kingdoms. Few cities contain such a concentration of major archaeological sites. On the east bank are the enormous Karnak Temple complex and Luxor Temple, while the west bank contains the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut and numerous other tombs and temples. Ancient Thebes and its necropolis have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. Modern Luxor has developed around this archaeological landscape, with the Nile dividing the main urban centre from the west-bank villages and ancient burial grounds. The city is one of Egypt’s principal bases for exploring the country’s Pharaonic history, with many of its most important sites lying within a relatively small area.

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