Fodor's Expert Review Temples of Wadi es-Sebua

Two New Kingdom (1550–1077 BC) temples were relocated to safety on this shoreline, about 4 km (2.5 miles) from their original sites. Amenhotep III constructed the smaller, earlier temple, using both freestanding and rock-cut elements, which Ramses II later added to. The temple, consisting of a sanctuary, court, hall, and pylons, was dedicated to a Nubian form of Horus and later rededicated to Amun. In Arabic, Wadi es-Sebua means Valley of the Lions, so named for the Avenue of Sphinxes leading to the larger and more dramatic Temple of Ramses II. As in Ramses II's other temples, towering statues of the pharaoh demand attention. Early Christians plastered over the reliefs, ironically keeping them in a well-preserved state when the plaster eventually fell off. Look out for the odd scene of Ramses II offering flowers to St. Peter.