Merenptah temple in Luxor receives visitors after 9-year restoration

Egyptian Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni opens early next month King Merenptah temple in the valley of the Kings in Luxor for the first time for tourist visits after nine years of restoration works in association with the Swiss archaeological sites.

Sabri Abdel-Aziz, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities, said that the restoration works cost L.E 10 million. Yehia Al-Masry, Director of Upper Egypt Antiquities Department, said Merenptah was the 13th son of King Ramses and assumed power after him and has tomb No.8 in the Valley of the Kings.

"Merenptah built his funerary temple in the southern part of Thebes cemetery during the 19th Dynasty era and used some stones from the Amenhoteb III Temple," said Masry.