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The Central City is the religious and administrative heart of Akhetaten. Here, the pharaoh worships the Aten and dispenses his wisdom for the benefit of his people.

Amazement will accompany you as you read about the wonders of this city by clicking on the links below.

The House of the Sun-Disk

The Royal Road

The Great Palace

Other Facilities

The King’s House

The Royal Tomb

 

The House of the Sun-Disk

This magnificent temple, unparalleled in Egyptian history, is the largest temple in Akhetaten. It measures 2,500 feet long and 750 feet wide. Within is a vast open courtyard filled with tables on which worshipers of the Aten and the pharaoh may place their offerings. To build this awe-inspiring building as well as other stone structures in Akhetaten, workers used a revolutionary construction system.

 

Great Palace

The Great Palace

The Great Palace is the largest palace in Akhetaten, covering more than 162,000 square feet. Here, in an immense courtyard open to the life-giving rays of the Aten, the pharaoh and the great royal wife receive delegations. Within the palace, floors painted with brightly colored images of the plants and animals of Egypt’s marshes captivate the mind and praise the Aten’s bounty. The building also houses the pharaoh’s harem and administrative offices.

 

The King’s House

Connected to the Great Palace by a bridge is the King’s House, an administrative center. The Mansion of the Sun-Disk, which serves as a royal chapel, is attached. Nearby is the House of the Correspondence of the Pharaoh, a records building.

 

The Royal Road

The Royal Road, which runs parallel to the east bank of the river, connects the North Riverside Palace with the House of the Sun-Disk, the Mansion of the Sun-Disk, and the Kom-el-Nana, a temple dedicated to Queen Nefertiti. Those who wish to receive the blessings of "The One Who Serves Aten" should position themselves along the road as the pharaoh and the royal family ride in the royal chariot to the temples.

 

Other Facilities

Also located in the Central City are

  • an open-air market
  • wharves
  • military and police barracks, with housing for horses and chariots
  • storehouses for the grain and other products brought to the city

South of the House of the Sun-Disk and the Great Palace are workshops for the production of wine and beer, glassware, pottery, textiles, and bricks. Of special interest is the workshop of Thutmose, Overseer of Works and Sculptor, who serves as the pharaoh’s hands in creating the New Art.



The Royal Tomb

The Royal Tomb is being carved into a cliff east of the city. Imaginary lines, like the rays of the Aten, link the tomb with the House of the Sun-Disk, the Great Palace, the Mansion of the Sun-Disk, and a number of the stelae that mark the boundaries of the city.

To learn more about Akhetaten, click on Egypt’s Greatest City.

 

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