Temple

Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

#7of 10 places to visit in LuxorLuxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt

Also known as Habu Temple · Mansion of Millions of Years of Ramesses III

Quick answer

Opening hours: 06:00–17:00. Entry: EGP 220. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 06:00 - 09:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: 06:00–17:00; Daily 06:00-17:00 per the Ministry price list.
Entry fee: EGP 220; Ticket from
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 06:00 - 09:00
Best months: Oct – Mar
Address: Medinet Habu, Al-Gezira, West Bank, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt (about 2 km south of the Colossi of Memnon)

About Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

Medinet Habu charges foreign adults EGP 220 as of 2026 and is one of the best-preserved temples on Luxor's west bank. The mortuary temple of Ramesses III (about 1186-1155 BC) runs about 150 metres in length and carries more than 7,000 square metres of decorated wall relief. Its reliefs record the pharaoh's victory over the Sea Peoples, one of the few detailed battle narratives to survive from the ancient Near East. Medinet Habu is far quieter than Karnak and keeps colour on its ceilings, and it repays a 90-minute visit. The Coptic town of Jeme, which grew inside the temple walls, shows how long the site stayed in use after the pharaonic period.

Best time of day: 06:00 - 09:00. When the temple is empty and low sun picks out the coloured reliefs.

Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III) timings

Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III) opens at 06:00 and closes at 17:00. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.

Opening hours: 06:00–17:00; Mon–Sun 06:00–17:00; Daily 06:00-17:00 per the Ministry price list.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	06:00–17:00

Good to know: Some sources report last entry 16:00 in winter (October to March) and 17:00 in summer.

Opening hours compiled from egymonuments.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III) ticket price

Entry fees for Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	EGP 220
Concession (student / senior)	EGP 110
Children	Free

Foreign adults pay EGP 220 and foreign students EGP 110 as of 2026, per the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities price list; Egyptian adults pay EGP 20 and Egyptian students EGP 10. Children under 6 are generally free; verify. Other sources quote about EGP 200 for foreign adults, so verify at the official site or the ticket office. Card payment is standard.

Prices compiled from egymonuments.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

Quiet
Moderate

06:00 - 09:00
Empty MorningBest time to go
Cool air, low sun on the reliefs and almost no other visitors.
Quiet
09:00 - 12:00
Small Groups
A few tour groups pass through after the Colossi stop, but the courtyards absorb them easily.
Moderate
12:00 - 15:00
Midday Heat
Very hot with little shade; visitors are few and the roofed halls are the only cool spots.
Quiet
15:00 - 17:00
Late Light
Warm light on the pylon and quiet courts; closing time is firm.
Quiet

History of Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

Medinet Habu began as a small Eighteenth Dynasty temple to the Ogdoad, restored by Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, and Ramesses III built his mortuary temple beside it around 1186 BC. Its formal name was the Temple of Usermare-Meriamon, 'United-with-Eternity'. The plan closely follows the nearby Ramesseum of Ramesses II, and the entrance is a fortified, Syrian-style gate called a migdol, with a royal palace and a window of appearances attached to the first court.

Four major inscriptions record campaigns in years 5 to 12 of Ramesses III's reign, including the defeat of the Sea Peoples and the Battle of the Delta. An enclosure wall about 18 metres high once surrounded the complex. After the pharaonic period the site became Jeme, a densely populated Coptic town whose population is estimated at about 18,860, and it was abandoned in the 9th century AD. Medinet Habu sits within the Ancient Thebes World Heritage Site inscribed in 1979.

Rules & etiquette at Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

Medinet Habu visitors may not climb the walls, columns or fallen blocks, and site guards enforce this. Touching the coloured reliefs and ceilings is forbidden, since oils and dust damage the pigment. Drones are banned over the complex, and tripods need a permit.

Medinet Habu has no formal dress code, but cover shoulders and knees against the sun and out of respect. Tickets are bought at the ticket office, normally by card. Guards may appear in side chambers to point out reliefs and expect EGP 20-50; a polite decline is fine. Carry water because shade is limited and drinks near the entrance cost tourist prices.

Tips for visiting Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

1
Medinet Habu is the strongest of the west-bank mortuary temples for reliefs and colour, so schedule it even if time is tight. Stand in the second court and look up: the roofed sections still hold blue, red and yellow paint on the ceilings, and the Sea Peoples reliefs are on the outer north wall.
2
Medinet Habu is usually visited after the Colossi of Memnon, about 2 km to the north, or before the Valley of the Queens, which is a short drive to the west. Allow 90 minutes, and start at the eastern high gate before walking the length of the temple. Early light on the eastern high gate is best for photographs, and the site closes at 17:00. There is little shade beyond the hypostyle halls, so bring a hat. Many quick coach circuits skip Medinet Habu, which helps it stay quiet.

How to reach Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III)

The red star is Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III); the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Medinet Habu, Al-Gezira, West Bank, Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt (about 2 km south of the Colossi of Memnon)Directions in Google Maps

From Colossi of Memnon
2 km · 5 min by car
Roughly EGP 50-100 (estimate; verify)
From Luxor city (east bank)
10 km · 30-45 min
Ferry about EGP 10-20 for foreigners plus roughly EGP 150-300 by taxi (estimate; verify)
From Valley of the Queens
4 km · 10 min by car
Roughly EGP 60-150 (estimate; verify)

Nearest airport

From Luxor International Airport (LXR)

about 22 km by road, 35-45 minutes.

Nearest station

From Luxor railway station on the east bank

about 10 km plus a Nile crossing, 30-45 minutes.

Medinet Habu (Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III) FAQs

How much does it cost to enter Medinet Habu?

EGP 220 for foreign adults and EGP 110 for foreign students as of 2026. Egyptian adults pay EGP 20. Some sources quote EGP 200, so verify at the ticket office.

What is Medinet Habu known for?

Its well-preserved reliefs of the Sea Peoples wars of Ramesses III. The temple carries more than 7,000 square metres of decorated wall relief, with colour still visible on the roofed sections.

Is Medinet Habu crowded?

No. Many quick coach circuits skip it, so it stays quiet compared with Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, especially before 09:00.

How long does Medinet Habu take?

About 90 minutes at a steady pace, and about an hour if you are pressed, including the high gate and both courts.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places