The temple of Hatshesut, the woman who assumed the title of Pharaoh, is one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful temples in ancient Egypt is that of Hatshepsut. While Hatshepsut's reign always evokes images of a usurping mother taking the throne from her son, Thutmose III, and giving herself the male title of Pharaoh, but this woman Pharaoh had a fabulous temple built on the banks of the Nile, across the river from the ancient town of Thebes.
The temple was built with three levels with the actual sanctuary built into the mountainside that the structure nestles into. It's dedicated to Hatshepsut's assumed parents, the gods Amun and Hathor, but there are other temples dedicated to some of the other gods as well. The architect, Senmut, placed rows of pillars and ramps leading to all three levels. There are also rows of sphinxes, with Hatshepsut's head on them, lining the lower level entry way.
On the walls of the temple structure, Hatshepsut had her workers write of her divine birth. Since the temple took more than twenty years to complete, Hatshepsut used the walls to document her triumphs, suck as raising her huge obelisk at Karnak.
This temple was lost, covered by immense layers of sand, but once discovered, it turned out to be one of the most well designed structures in Egypt. Although it is designed as a mortuary temple, Hatshepsut herself was not buried in or near the temple, and Senmut was able to construct a tomb near hers for himself, his mother and assorted favorite pets.
Hatshepsut reigned from 1473 - 1458 BC, and probably died shortly after the temple was completed. Her son, Thutmose III, ascended the throne after her and set about destroying all traces of her name from temples and columns throughout the land.
