Luxor, Egypt
Building in Egypt
In the village of Medamud, about five kilometres north-east of Karnak, lie the ruins of a temple to Montu, the falcon-headed war god of Thebes. A sanctuary is thought to have stood here since the Old Kingdom, but the remains you see date from Ptolemy VIII in the 2nd century BC, with decoration and additions carried on by the Romans for centuries afterwards. Montu was closely linked with raging bulls, and the temple was a major centre of the sacred bull's cult; many bull statues and reliefs were found here and are now spread across museums around the world. The French archaeologist Fernand Bisson de la Roque excavated the site from 1925 and uncovered an older temple beneath the Ptolemaic one. Medamud was tied to the Montu precinct at Karnak by a canal and processional way, so it belongs to the wider map of ancient Thebes. Today it is a place for unhurried enthusiasts: columns, gateways and foundations in a quiet village, with no crowds at all.
Take a taxi from Luxor; it is about a quarter of an hour from Karnak. Thirty minutes to an hour is enough. There are few or no facilities, so bring water, and go in the morning. Check before setting out that the site is open to visitors, as hours are not regularly published.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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AttractionLuxor, Egypt
