Soleb Temple

About this place

Soleb Temple is an ancient Egyptian temple in the Nubian town of Soleb, on the west side of the Nile north of the Third Cataract. It ranks among the finest Egyptian temples in Sudan, its tall stone columns standing beside green fields, so the scene joins the past with daily Nile farming. It lies far from visitor routes and was quiet even before recent years. Karl Richard Lepsius discovered and described it in 1844. It was built under Amenhotep III and dedicated to Amun, then rededicated to Aten after Akhenaten took power. Several Amarna-period kings attended to the site, including Amenhotep III, Akhenaten, Tutankhamun and Ay. Soleb also has a vast necropolis of small tomb chapels with pyramids. You see tall sandstone columns with palm and papyrus capitals, the remains of gateways and great walls, and carved blocks scattered on the ground. Some carry reliefs of captives with the names of their peoples, so look closely. The finest view is from afar across the fields before sunset, when the stone turns gold. Do not climb on the blocks. It is about 93 km in a straight line from Kerma and about 142 km from Dongola. You need a car and usually a small ferry across the Nile, so ask locally. 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.