This is the monument of one of Egypt’s greatest rulers and one of its only female pharaohs.  In antiquity, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut was known as the Holy of Holies. The purpose of this mortuary temple was to honor the Gods. It also served to record the glorious reign of its builder. The temple was commissioned in 1479 BC and took around 15 years. It is considered a masterpiece of ancient architecture. It has three massive terraces that rise above the desert floor and into the cliffs.