The Valley of the Workers is the area near Thebes, where the skilled workers lived who created the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. The workers built and decorated their own tombs there. Several of the tombs have small pyramids built on top of them, but only four of them are open. The workers were not slaves, but government workers who were paid well and fed like royalty. The workers saved some of their best work for their own tombs and pyramids. The pyramids are only a fraction of the size of the pyramids in Giza, most measuring only several feet in height and width.
Although there are no pyramids in the Valley of the Kings, some of the most famous Egyptian tombs have been found there. For nearly 500 years, from the 16th century to the 11th century BC, burial places were constructed for the kings and other nobles of the New Kingdom. There are approximately 60 tombs in the valley, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. The Valley of the Kings is actually made up of two valleys -- the east valley and the west valley. The east valley is where most of the New Kingdom pharaohs were buried, making it more popular with tourists.
Another famous site in Thebes is the Karnak temple complex. It is believed that Karnak is the second most visited site in Egypt, eclipsed only by the pyramids of Giza. The complex, built over the course of 1,500 years, contains a group of temples, including the Great Temple of Amon Ra, the Temple of Khonso, the Temple of Ptah, the Temple of Montho and the Temple of the God Osiris. The complex consists of four major precincts, of which the largest is the one of Amun-Re -- the only part open to public. The remaining three precincts are closed to the public: the Precinct of Mut, the Precinct of Montu and the crumbled Temple of Amenhotep IV. Just outside the bordering walls of these parts are some smaller temples, sanctuaries, as well as several avenues of sphinxes as well as humans; which connect to the Luxor Temple.
The Luxor Temple was built by King Amenhotep III, who reigned 1390-1353 BC. The beautiful temple was dedicated to Amon-Re, king of the gods, his consort Mut and their son Khons. It is unique among Egyptian temple complexes in that only two pharaohs made significant contributions to its construction: Amenhotep III and Ramses II.
