New Developments at Luxor

These projects include the restoration of Abul Hagag El-Loxori Mosque, changing the entrance of Luxor temple, the development of the area around Deir el-Bahri Temple, the restoration of Howard Carter’s rest house with a view to developing it into a museum, and the installation of a new lighting system in the Valley of the Kings.

The Abul Hagag mosque was built in 1286 to commemorate the Sunni Sheikh Abul Hagag. The passage of time had taken its toll on the mosque’s walls and foundations; cracks had spread all over its walls, and water from the Mayda’a (water fountain) had leaked into its foundations. Restoration work, which lasted for 14 months and cost LE 13.4 million, has now been carried out, aimed at returning the mosque to its original glory. The cracks have now been removed, the foundations consolidated, and the water fountain renovated. The mosque’s open court has been developed, and a fire alarm system has been installed. The mosque’s dome has been restored as well, along with the Pharaonic columns re-used in 1286 to construct the mosque.

The entrance to Luxor Temple has also been changed; this project cost LE 7,260 million and lasted 18 months. Furthermore, the area around Deir el-Bahri has been developed over the past 15 months, at a cost of LE 9,850 million. The aim was to remove all unlicensed vendors from around the temple, who would encroach on the safe zone protecting the monument, and to establish an official visitor’s centre, a cafeteria, a bookstore and 52 bazaars, as well as repaving all roads leading to the temple.

The Carter Rest-House, used as the residence of Howard Carter during his excavations at the Valley of the kings in the early 1990's, has been restored and developed into a museum displaying the tools and instruments used by Carter during his excavations. The project costs LE 1.121 million and lasted for four months. This will open in the future.

A final project involved the installation of a new lighting system in the Valley of the Kings; this new system will be tested.