Luxor

Statue of Ramses II

Luxor, in Egypt, has often been called the world's greatest open air museum, with the ruins of the temple complex at Karnak, Luxor temple, and the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank of the Nile, including the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.

It is an excellent base for touring Upper Egypt, and is a popular holiday destination, both in its own right and as a starting or finishing point for Nile cruises. It is the site of the ancient city of Thebes, and has a population of approx. 150,000.

On November 17, 1997 Muslim militants massacred 58 foreign tourists and 4 Egyptians on the West Bank outside the Temple of Hatshepsut. Police killed the assailants but the attack is believed to have been financed by Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden.