This Luxor Mosque Is Where Pharaohs, Emperors & Saints Cross Paths

A mosque built on top of a pharaonic temple. Not next to it, not near it—on top of it.

This is the Abu Haggag Mosque, a structure that could have stood in the vicinity of Luxor Temple; but instead was fused to its very stones to create something as unique as the history of the land it inhabits. Rising from the ruins of ancient Egypt, one can say the Abu Haggag Mosque refused to move forward without taking the past along with it.

Inside, the prayers in Arabic resonate through a sanctuary that was once dedicated to Amun-Ra. Carved hieroglyphs sit beneath Islamic arches. Minarets rise where colossal statues once loomed. No other place in Egypt—and perhaps in the world—layers its history so boldly in plain sight.

Ancient Egypt: The Birth of a Sacred Sanctuary

Our journey begins in the 14th century BCE, during the illustrious reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. It was a time when the Nile's fertile banks nourished a civilisation teeming with architectural ambition and religious fervor. Amidst this backdrop, the Luxor Temple, originally known as ‘Ipet-resyt’ or the ‘Southern Sanctuary’ was conceived. Unlike many temples aligned east-west, Luxor Temple was uniquely oriented toward Karnak in order to reflect its integral role in the annual Opet Festival—a grand procession celebrating the union of the pharaoh with the divine essence of Amun-Ra.

The temple's architectural grandeur was not the endeavour of a single ruler but a rich mosaic crafted by successive pharaohs. The earliest structure, a shrine, dates back to Queen Hatshepsut, while the central edifice was erected under Amenhotep III. Colossal columns, intricate hieroglyphs, and sanctified chambers bore witness to rituals that reinforced the pharaoh's divine mandate. Each stone, meticulously placed, echoed the civilization's quest for eternal harmony with the cosmos.

The Roman Epoch

As centuries flowed like the eternal Nile, the winds of change ushered in the Romans, who, recognising the temple's sanctity, repurposed it to serve the imperial cult.

In the late third century AD, the Romans constructed a fort around the temple, converting its inner sanctuaries into spaces that venerate the emperor as a deity. The original reliefs were overlaid with plaster and adorned with frescoes depicting Emperor Diocletian and his co-regents, illustrating the empire's adaptability in assimilating conquered cultures while asserting its supremacy.

Coptic Era

By the late 4th or early 5th century AD, the temple's court of Ramesses II is believed to have been repurposed as a Coptic basilica, reflecting the region's shifting spiritual landscape.

Frescoes depicting Christian iconography were painted over the temple walls—some of which still linger, faintly visible beneath centuries of transformation.

This adaptation marked the temple's first religious metamorphosis, foreshadowing the site's enduring legacy as a place of worship across faiths.

Islamic Era

The advent of Islam in Egypt in the 7th century AD marked a new chapter in Luxor's spiritual narrative.

By the 13th century, during the Ayyubid dynasty, the Abu Haggag Mosque was established within the Luxor Temple complex, dedicated to the esteemed Sufi saint, Sheikh Yusuf Abu al-Haggag.

Constructed primarily from mudbrick, it features two minarets—the older of which predates the mosque by approximately 150 years, originating from the Fatimid period. The prayer hall and courtyard, adorned with traditional Islamic motifs, manage to coexist with the ancient columns and hieroglyphs of the Luxor Temple.

Modern Era

Today, the Abu Haggag Mosque continues to live on as a centre of worship and cultural celebration. Annually, fifteen days before Ramadan, the mosque hosts the Mawlid—a festival commemorating the birth of Sheikh Yusuf Abu al-Haggag.

This event attracts pilgrims from across Egypt and features processions of boats symbolizing the sheikh's journey to Luxor, reminiscent of the ancient Opet Festival.

In traversing the Abu Haggag Mosque and the encompassing Luxor Temple complex, one embarks on a journey through time by witnessing the fascinating interweaving of Ancient Egyptian grandeur, Roman adaptation, and Islamic devotion.