Thebes West

0.75/1km southeast of Medinet Habu are the remains of a royal city founded by Amenophis III, with a large palace known as the "House of Joy", which contained the royal apartments and reception rooms, the dwellings of courtiers, the harem, the residence of Queen Tiy, a large festal hall dedicated to the celebration of the King's second Jubilee, workshops, etc.

Some 550yd/500m northeast of the Ramesseum, within a modern enclosure wall is the Mortuary Temple of Tuthmosis III. The ancient enclosure walls are partly hewn from the rock and partly built of sundried brick. The interior is in a very dilapidated condition, but it is possible to identify remains of hypostyle halls, brick built rooms, etc. Many of the bricks bear the stamp of Tuthmosis III. Between the Ramesseum and this temple lay the mortuary temples of Amenophis II (18th Dynasty) and Siptah (19th Dynasty), the scanty remains of which were discovered by Flinders Petrie in 1896. To the northeast, near Qurna, are the remains of the Mortuary Temple of Amenophis I.

To the south of the Ramesseum were the mortuary temples of Prince Wadjmose (18th Dynasty), King Tuthmosis IV, Queen Tawosret, Siptah's wife, and King Merneptah, all of which were excavated by Flinders Petrie; there are only scanty remains.

To the north of the Mortuary Temple of Sethos I are the royal and princely tombs of El-Tarif (11th Dynasty). These are very large structures with courts up to 330yd/300m long and 66yd/60m wide hewn from the rock. The row of simulated pillars along their rear facades has led them to be called saff tombs (from Arabic saff, "row"). The rooms in the interior are small and the decoration (where it has been preserved) modest. The best preserved are the tombs of Kings Antef I, II and III.

To the south of Medinet Habu, on the road to Armant (footpath from Medinet Habu, 50minutes), is a well preserved Temple of Isis of the Roman period, now known as the Deir el-Shelwit. It dates from the reigns of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, and the ruined pylon has inscriptions in the names of Vespasian, Domitian and Otho. The cella is surrounded by a number of smaller chambers, in one of which (far left from entrance) is a staircase leading to the roof.