The Temple of Amun
Columns and gateways in line.
Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hans Birger Nilsen — CC BY-SA 2.0
The Naqa Temples are the remains of an ancient city of the Kingdom of Meroe in the Butana region, about 170 km north-east of Khartoum and about 50 km east of the Nile. It is among the largest ruined sites in Sudan and part of the Island of Meroe sites on the UNESCO list. Its stone temples stand alone on barren land, and it is hard to believe a great city once stood here. Naqa was a centre of the Kingdom of Meroe and an important trading post on a route heading east, only a short camel or donkey journey from the Nile. Its best-known buildings date from the 1st century AD, under King Natakamani and Queen Amanitore. Its two main temples blend Kushite and Egyptian styles, with a kiosk beside them that looks Roman. You see the long Temple of Amun, with rows of columns and stone gateways one after another and a path lined with carved rams. Nearby is the Temple of Apedemak with its carved facade, and the arched kiosk in its curious mixed style. Reports say the site has suffered damage and theft in recent years, so the scene may differ from these photos. It is about 17 km in a straight line from Musawwarat es-Sufra and about 50 km from Shendi. The road needs a four-wheel drive with a driver who knows the desert. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Sudan, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.
Columns and gateways in line.
A carved facade.
Arches in a mixed style.
Wadi Awateib, Butana, River Nile State, Sudan
Its best-known buildings are credited to King Natakamani and Queen Amanitore in the 1st century.
Do not count on it, and check official guidance first, as the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Sudan.