Wadi el-Seboua

The Temple of Wadi El-Seboua is located 150 Km South of Aswan on the Western Bank of the Nile. After building Aswan High Dam, it was moved in 1964 to save it from being submerged from the induction of the water, by the Egyptian Antiquities Service with US support. The new location is 4 Km west of its original one, Temple of Dakka and Temple of Maharraqa were also moved to the same place.

This Temple is considered to be the second-largest Temple in the Nubian region after the Abu Simbel temple. Amenhotep III (Amenophis III) of the 18th dynasty built the Temple, and Ramses II of the 19th dynasty restored the Temple. It was also called House of Amun or Temple of Amen as it was dedicated to it.

Ramses II started constructing the Temple in the 44th year of his reign; he used Libyan prisoners to build it, whom he captured after the war with the Libyan invaders. Ramses II was called Ramses the Great, he was the most powerful Pharaoh in the New Kingdom, his period was also the most powerful in ancient Egypt, and it lasted for about 66 years.

The Temple of Wadi el-Seboua was mainly made out of stone blocks, and the inner sanctuary is carved into the bedrock. It originally consisted of three pylons, but only two of them survived. The pylon that didn’t survive was leading to the avenue of Sphinx; the other two existing lead into the forecourt. After the courtyard, there is a hypostyle hall and inner sanctuary that is carved in the bedrock.

During the Amarna Period, the Temple was attacked, images of Amen were destroyed as well as the decorations, but later, Ramses II restored it and extended the Temple of Amenhotep III. It was damaged because during that period Akhenaten worshiped the God Aten as the only god, and abandoned the worship of Amen, that’s why they attacked this Temple, the House of Amen.

Wadi el-Seboua now lays behind the High Dam , and you can reach this place when making a cruise on Lake Nasser. It is totally worth the visit since you’ll also get to see two other temples in the same place.