Ancient site · Luxor
Valley of the Queens
A royal necropolis on the west bank of ancient Thebes (Luxor) for queens, princes and princesses, home to the celebrated painted tomb of Queen Nefertari.
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The story
The Valley of the Queens served as a burial ground for the wives, sons and daughters of pharaohs, together with some high officials, in the New Kingdom, while the kings themselves were laid to rest in the Valley of the Kings. It forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis, inscribed in 1979. Its jewel is the tomb of Queen Nefertari, wife of Ramesses II, found by the Italian Egyptologist Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904; its walls are covered in colourful scenes of the queen's journey to the afterlife. The paintings underwent careful conservation from 1986 to 1992 by the Getty Conservation Institute together with Egyptian antiquities authorities. The valley also holds the tombs of other queens and princes, among them Tuya, mother of Ramesses II.
Good to know
- Pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings, while this valley was reserved for their wives, children and some high officials.
- The tomb of Nefertari, wife of Ramesses II, was found in 1904 and its wall paintings are counted among the finest of ancient Egypt.
- The Nefertari paintings were conserved between 1986 and 1992 in a joint project of the Getty Conservation Institute and the Egyptian Antiquities Organization.
- The valley is part of the Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis World Heritage site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1979.
Visiting tips
Nefertari's tomb normally needs its own special ticket on top of valley entry, visits inside are kept short, and it can close at times to protect the paintings. Please check hours, prices and which tombs are open before you go; early morning is the most comfortable time.