After more than two decades of restoration, Egypt has reopened the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep III in the Valley of the Kings near Luxor to tourists. The monument is about 3,400 years old, and visitors descend 14 meters underground to reach the funerary complex. The tomb reopened in October 2025, after conservation work was completed in three stages that began in 2001 and ended in 2024.
Murals, hieroglyphs and an empty sarcophagus
Inside, vivid murals have been preserved, although time has left visible traces on them. The walls also feature sacred hieroglyphs from the “Book of the Dead“ - texts associated with the ruler's passage to the afterlife.
However, the burial chamber was completely emptied by looters in ancient times. All that remains of the sarcophagus is the stone base and its lid. Restorers have cleaned and strengthened the vulnerable drawings to limit their further destruction. The project involved Egyptian, Japanese and international specialists with the support of UNESCO.
The corridor leads to three connected rooms
A 36-meter-long inclined corridor leads to a system of three connected chambers. One was intended for the pharaoh, and the other two - for queens Tiya and Sitamun. The layout and preserved images provide an idea of the funerary ideas and artistic language during the 18th dynasty.
Amenhotep III ascended the throne as a young man and ruled for almost 38 years – approximately from 1390 to 1350 BC. His reign coincides with one of the most powerful periods of Ancient Egypt. Temples, palaces and statues have survived from his era, including the Colossi of Memnon near Luxor.
The mummy was moved in ancient times
The pharaoh's mummy is not in the tomb. Ancient priests moved it to a safer place, and today it is kept in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo along with 16 other royal mummies. The tomb itself was discovered by French engineers in 1799 during Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, and full excavations were carried out by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1915.
The reopening of the tomb is part of an effort to preserve and present the royal monuments in Luxor. According to UNESCO, the completion of the three phases of the project has allowed for improved lighting, environmental control, and visitor information materials without jeopardizing the fragile painted surfaces.
Sources: unian.net, unesco.org, apnews.com