Tuesday March 19th, 2024
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Demolition of Andraos Palace in Luxor Unveils Ancient Roman Temple

The Supreme Council of Antiquities has announced that they've located the remains of an ancient Roman temple beneath Tawfik Andraos Palace, shortly after the building was demolished earlier this week.

Yahia Dabbous

After the high-profile demolition of the Andraos Pasha Palace in Luxor on Monday night, Mustafa Waziri, the Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, announced that the remains of an ancient Roman temple has been located beneath the palace.


Waziri indicated that the full archaeological discovery will be unveiled in five to six months.


The Andraos Palace was constructed in 1897, and belonged to the family and descendants of Tawfiq Andraos Pasha, a prominent figure in Luxor and the MP of the nationalist Wafd Party during the early 20th century.


It was demolished after an engineering committee within the Supreme Council of Antiquities determined that the palace’s cracked walls affected its structural integrity, which would make it hazardous to passersby, tourists, and the nearby Luxor Temple.


Once the site is cleared, an extension and revamp of the Rams Road will take its place. The 2.7 km road will link the Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Mut Temple, and the Ancient Ruins of Thebes.


Upon completion, the road will witness a celebratory opening procession, similar to the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade which marked the transfer of the royal mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation in Fustat. The Rams Road makeover hopes to transform the area into an open museum.