West of the High Gate is a huge Forecourt, 200 meters (650 feet) wide, 60 meters (200 feet) deep. Today, the area seems barren, but in antiquity a large array of buildings filled the space. The royal stables stood south of the gate, near the barracks where the king’s bodyguards lived. The smells of trees, flowers, vineyards, and pools of lotus flowers wafted from nearby gardens.

From" The Illustrated Guide to Luxor" by kent R.Weeks ,published by the American University in Cairo Press. Copyright © 2005 White Star S.p.a