Ancient Egyptian architecture covers the religious and funerary building of the Nile Valley across more than three thousand years, roughly 3100 BC to the Roman annexation of Egypt. It is not one fixed style but a set of related conventions that stayed remarkably conservative over time: massive post-and-lintel stone construction, columns carved to resemble papyrus and lotus plants, and precise alignment to the sun and stars. The pyramids at Giza and the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor are its best known monuments.
Facts
PeriodThe end of major pharaonic-style construction as Egypt passes into Roman and later Byzantine building idioms; the tradition's beginning, circa 3100 BC, is carried in the entity's own prose description rather than forced into a start-year column. Origin Region Ancient Egyptian Architecture
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Connections
Associated With
Imhotep, architect of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is credited as the first named architect of Egyptian monumental stone building.
Egyptian temples and tombs relied on post-and-lintel construction throughout, well before the arch came into use in the region.
Source Wikipedia
Influenced
Egyptian masons and motifs are documented at Persepolis alongside other subject-peoples contributions.
The 19th century revival style directly quotes ancient Egyptian forms: pylons, lotus and papyrus columns, obelisks.
Kushite pyramids and temples at Meroe and Napata directly adapted Egyptian monumental forms.
Notable Examples
Source Bent Pyramid (Wikipedia)
Source Great Pyramid of Giza (Wikidata)
Source Iconic Tower (Egypt) (Wikidata)
Source Imhotep (Wikipedia)
Source Karnak (Wikipedia)
Source Luxor Temple (Wikipedia)
Source Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep III (Wikipedia)
Source Obelisk (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Ahmose (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Ameny Qemau (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Khafre (Wikidata)
Source Pyramid of Khui (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Merikare (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Neferkare Neby (Wikipedia)
Source Pyramid of Senusret III (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Wikipedia
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
a set of styles differing over time but with some commonalities
Wikipedia: Ancient Egyptian architecture, Lead section
Spanning over three thousand years, ancient Egypt was not one stable civilization but subject to change and periods of great upheaval, commonly split into periods by historians.
- Associated With: Post-and-Lintel Construction
View the Source Karnak (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Karnak Temple Complex, Lead paragraph, on the complex ancient Egyptian identityQuote, Notable Examples: Karnak Temple Complex, Lead paragraph, on the complex ancient Egyptian identity
The area around Karnak was the ancient Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place of worship of the 18th Dynastic Theban Triad, with the god Amun as its head.
Iconic Tower (Egypt) (Wikidata)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Iconic Tower (Egypt), Infobox style field: Egyptian and modernView the Source Imhotep (Wikipedia)
Notable Examples: Imhotep, Article leadQuote, Notable Examples: Imhotep, Article lead
was an Egyptian chancellor to the King Djoser, possible architect of Djoser's step pyramid
Obelisk (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Obelisk, EgyptianQuote, Notable Examples: Obelisk, Egyptian
Obelisks were prominent in the architecture of the ancient Egyptians, and played a vital role in their religion placing them in pairs at the entrance of the temples.
Great Pyramid of Giza (Wikidata)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Great Pyramid of Giza, Wikidata P149Quote, Notable Examples: Great Pyramid of Giza, Wikidata P149
architectural style: ancient Egyptian architecture
Pyramid of Khafre (Wikidata)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Khafre, Wikidata P149Quote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Khafre, Wikidata P149
architectural style: ancient Egyptian architecture
Luxor Temple (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Luxor Temple, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Luxor Temple, Lead
The Luxor Temple (Arabic: معبد الأقصر) is a large Ancient Egyptian temple complex located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city of Luxor (ancient Thebes) and was constructed around 1400 BC.
Bent Pyramid (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Bent Pyramid, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Bent Pyramid, Lead
The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu.
Pyramid of Neferkare Neby (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Neferkare Neby, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Neferkare Neby, Lead
The pyramid of Neferkare Neby was the tomb of the Ancient Egyptian King Neferkare Neby, who reigned in the 8th Dynasty.
Pyramid of Khui (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Khui, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Khui, Lead
The pyramid of Khui is an ancient Egyptian funerary structure datable to the early First Intermediate Period (2181 BC, 2055 BC) and located in the royal necropolis of Dara, near Manfalut in Middle Egypt and close to the entrance of the Dakhla Oasis.
Pyramid of Merikare (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Merikare, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Merikare, Lead
The pyramid of Merikare is an ancient Egyptian pyramid that remains unidentified, but is attested by inscriptions on funerary steles and possibly is located in Saqqara.
Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep III (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep III, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep III, Lead
The Mortuary Temple of Mentuhotep III is an unfinished ancient Egyptian temple located at Deir el-Bahari, in the Theban Necropolis, near the city of Luxor.
Pyramid of Senusret III (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Senusret III, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Senusret III, Lead
The pyramid of Senusret III (Lepsius XLVII) is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at Dahshur and built for pharaoh Senusret III of the 12th Dynasty.
Pyramid of Ameny Qemau (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Ameny Qemau, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Ameny Qemau, Lead
The pyramid of Ameny Qemau is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located in southern Dahshur.
Pyramid of Ahmose (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationNotable Examples: Pyramid of Ahmose, LeadQuote, Notable Examples: Pyramid of Ahmose, Lead
The pyramid of Ahmose is a pyramid erected in the reign of the Ancient Egyptian king Ahmose I, ca.
Ancient Egyptian architecture (Wikipedia)
In Group: Ancient and Classical Styles of the Middle East and North Africa, Lead paragraphQuote, In Group: Ancient and Classical Styles of the Middle East and North Africa, Lead paragraph
Spanning over three thousand years, ancient Egypt was not one stable civilization but subject to change and periods of great upheaval, commonly split into periods by historians.
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