The mortuary temple of Merenptah (Merneptah), Ramesses II's thirteenth son and successor, was mostly destroyed long ago, but recently has been restored to a large degree and is one of the newest of the sites on the West Bank at Luxor (ancient Thebes) available for sightseeing.

 

The mortuary temple of Merenptah is situated on the edge of the desert West Bank at Luxor, just to the North of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III on the right-hand side of the Necropolis Road.

 

The restoration work was completed by the Swiss Institute of Archaeology in collaboration with Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). In addition, a modern museum has been built near the temple complex in order to display items unearthed during the excavations.

 

The New Museum The structure, which reused considerable material (including statuary) from other monuments (including those of Hatshepsut and Akhenaten), especially those of Amenhotep III mortuary temple, was excavated by Petrie. However, it should be noted that Amenhotep III's mortuary temple was almost completely destroyed prior to Merenptah's quarrying of its stone.