Deir el-Bahri - Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep II

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German archeologists.

From the cultivated land, where there are the remains of atemple of the Ramessid period and a brick building associated with the tomb of one of the Sheshonqs, a wide avenue led up to the large temple forecourt, which was planted with trees (set in holes which can still be seen). The temple itself was laid out in terraces. From the Forecourt, bounded on the west side by two colonnades with square pillars bearing Mentuhotep's name (Nebkhru-re), a ramp leads up to the main Terrace on which the mortuary temple and pyramid stood. Beyond the scanty traces of a vestibule aligned from north to south is the main structure, a large colonnade of 140 eight sided pillars which surrounded the substructure, faced with fine limestone slabs, of the royal pyramid. In the west wall of this colonnade were the mortuary chapels of the favorites of the royal harem. Beyond this is a colonnaded court, in the pavement of which is the entrance to a sloping passage 165yd/150m long leading down to the King's subterranean burial chamber. On the east side of the court are openings giving access to the shaft tombs of the royal favorites. To the rear of the court are a large pillared hall (with only the bases of its 80 octagonal pillars remaining) and the rock hewn Sanctuary.

To the north of Mentuhotep's Temple was a Temple of Hathor built by Tuthmosis III but now destroyed. Its rock hewn sanctuary, with the image of the goddess, is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

In the forecourt of Mentuhotep's Temple is the subterranean tomb, known in Arabic as Bab el-Husan, of Mentuhotep I Nebhepetre (11th Dynasty), which was excavated by Howard Carter in 1900.