Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

In the mountains of Deir el-Bahri are the ruins of the temple of Queen Hatshepsut.

The image of Hatshepsut is inferior in popularity to the images of Cleopatra and Nefertiti. The Pharaoh remained in power for 21 years.

The funeral temple of Hatshepsut began to be built during her lifetime and was completed in 9 years. However, after the death of the queen, her stepson, Thutmose Ill, ordered it to be destroyed in order to erase any memory of her stepmother’s rule. Her name was erased (the worst punishment, according to the Egyptians, since losing her name in ancient Egyptian philosophy is part of the soul).

The temple existed until the XI century, when a Coptic church appeared in its place.

Now archaeologists recognize the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut as one of the most majestic buildings of antiquity.