The tomb of Nefertari , which is located in the Valley of the Queens on the west Bank of Luxor, is one of the most spectacular tombs that you can visit in Egypt.
Tomb of queen Nefertari’s Ramses II favorite wife is the most famous attraction. The tomb is said to be one of the most beautiful and Spectacular in Egypt and a sight to behold. It is known by historians as the “Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt.”
The level of the detail is amazing and the color are more vibrant than what you can see any tomb in Egypt. Don’t miss it, put it on your list.
This tomb has a big price tag, costing 1400 EGP. So, is it worth it?
But first, learn about the Queen and her tomb.
Who was Nefertari?
Nefertari ( the name means “The Most Beautiful one”) was known as “Great Kings wife”, “Lady of Grace”, “Lady of All Lands”, “Wife of the Strong Bull”, “Great of Praises”, “Lady of the Two Lands” “Sweet of Love” and many other nicknames, Queen Nefertari was one of the most famous Egyptian queens and an iconic women of Ancient Egypt.
Ramesses II, like other kings of Egypt, had a large harem of wives. However, at any time only one wife was given the honor of being his ‘chief queen.” Although he would take eight of these queens over his lifetime, Queen Nefertari was his first and most beloved. Ramesses was incredibly devoted to Nefertari and was obsessed with her beauty. All of the best Egypt tours will include the story of Ramesses and his admiration for his wife, as this love story is so important to Egyptian history.
Nefertari Is Not an Ordinary Woman.
The affection that Ramesses had for his wife, which is clearly evident in the adoration painted on the walls of her lavish tomb, shows that Egyptian royal marriages were not always based on power, alliances or conveniences. In some cases they came from a deep and meaningful love. Nefertari was no ordinary woman and Ramesses wanted the world to know how special she was to him. Nefertari was a highly educated woman. Her origins are not really known, other than the fact that she was a member of the nobility.
Nefertari Origin
Nefertari was the Great and most beloved wife of King Ramses II and played an active role in foreign politics. Her ancestry is unknown. Based on the legible/decipherable inscriptions on a fragment of a faience knob head or pommel found in her tomb, speculations were raised. The item carries the throne name ‘Kheper-Kheperu-Ra’ and, is, therefore, connected with King Ay, who ruled Egypt for a few years after Tutankhamun.
However, Nefertari did not carry the title ‘Daughter of a King’, which suggests that she was probably not from the main royal line. Because of the chronology, it seems quite unlikely that she was King Ay’s daughter, perhaps she was Ay’s grand-daughter. Other scholars emphasize that both Ramses II’s royal wives, Isisnofret and Nefertari, had a non-royal background. Nefertari married Ramses when he was crown prince during the reign of his father Sety I. The age at which Ramses II succeeded to the throne of Egypt is uncertain, possibly around his 25th year.
Nefertari was then presumably the same age as her husband or slightly younger (ca. 20–25 years). She gave birth to four sons (Amun-hir-khepeshef, Pa-Ra-wenem-ef, Mery-Ra and Mery-Atum) and four daughters (Baketmut, Nefertari, Merytamun and Henuttaui). Within the succession line, Nefertari’s sons were always preferred to Queen Isisnofret’s although, in the end, the crown went to Merenptah, a son of Queen Isisnofret. Queen Nefertari, as attested by reliefs, attended the opening ceremony of the rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel in the year 24 of Ramses II’s reign (ca. 1255 BC).
After that event, she disappeared. She was absent at the Sed-festival of Ramses II’s 30th regal year. She probably died around his 25th year of reign. As reconstructed from historical records, Nefertari probably reached an age of about 40 to 50 years (minimum 16 + 24 years or maximum 25 + 25 years) whereas Queen Isisnofret I died later, in year 34. Subsequently Ramses II married three of his daughters: Bint-Anat, Merytamun and Nebettaui.
Nefertari’s Tomb – QV 66
Nefertari Tomb located at the Valley of the Queens, West Bank of Luxor and referred to as QV66. Nefertari’s tomb is among the most spectacular, lavishly and beautifully decorated tombs in Egypt. The tomb was first discovered in 1904 by Ernesto Schiaparelli. It is called the Sistine Chapel of Ancient Egypt.
The tomb was constructed in a style similar to that of Seti I and Merenptah in the Valley of the Kings where the tomb descends by way of a long stepped corridor into a large pillared burial chamber. In the case of Nefertari, the corridor essentially divides the tomb space into two with the antechamber and adjoining room providing one set of decoration and the burial chamber another.
The conception of death for the Egyptians was linked with regeneration and rebirth, primarily in two forms, one following the rising and setting of the sun cyclically and the other linked to a rebirth in the afterlife through the body of Osiris.
The tomb of Nefertari illustrates both of these concepts of rebirth through the choice of deities (Osiris and Isis are often represented but so are Ra-Harakty, Atum, etc.) and her choice of texts from the Book of the Dead found inside the tomb. The queen always appears by herself in her tomb without her husband Rameses II. Likewise, her skin is almost always painted in more masculine reddish tones rather than the typical female yellow, which suggests that by adopting typically male, attributes, she was able to become Osiris and complete her transformation into the afterlife
Why the Ticket expensive?
Since the discovery in 1904, the tomb has been opened and closed to the public numerous times. The tomb of Queen Nefertari underwent restoration work 30 years ago, to restore the paintings from deterioration from water damage, salt formation, and bacterial growth.
Now, the number of visitors is limited, in order to prevent further damage from traffic and the humidity of visitor’s breath. That is the reasoning behind the big ticket price.
Is the Tomb of Queen Nefertari Worth It?
In our opinion, yes, the tomb of Queen Nefertari is worth the big expense. It is the most beautiful tomb that you can see in Egypt.
If you travel all the way to Egypt, it is worth it to spend a little more money to see one the most breathtaking places in Egypt.
One important thing, there is no discount for kids.
Ticket Price(2021)
Valley of the Queens: 100 EGP per person
Tomb of Queen Nefertari: 1400 EGP per person
You will pay 100 EGP to enter the valley of the Queens, bringing the total of 1500 EGP per person to see the tomb of Queen Nefertari. However, with your entry fee, you also get to see three more tombs in the valley of the Queens.
Hours of Operation
Winter: 6 am to 4 pm
Summer: 6 am to 5 pm
There is a 10-minute time to the length of time that you are permitted to stay in the tomb.
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