Wadi El-Seboua
Wadi el-Seboua, translated in English to the Valley of the Lions, can also be pronounced as Wadi Es-Sebua. The Arabs named it after The Great Sphinx-lined that is located before the entrance of the Temple; it is from the New Kingdom Egyptian temples. The Temple was dedicated to the Nubian form of God Haroeris but at a later point to Amen.
Location
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, the Egyptian Antiquities Service, with US support, moved it in 1964 to save it from being submerged by the induction of the water. The new location is 4 km west of its original one. The Temple of Dakka and the Temple of Maharraqa were also moved to the same place.
The builder
This Temple is considered to be the second-largest in the Nubian region after the Abu Simbel temple. Amenhotep III (Amenophis III) of the 18th dynasty built it, and Ramses II of the 19th dynasty restored it. It was also called the House of Amun or Temple of Amen as it was dedicated to it.
Ramses II
Ramses II started constructing the Temple in the 44th year of his reign. He used Libyan prisoners, whom he had captured after the war with the Libyan invaders, to build it. 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 components
The Temple of Wadi el-Seboua was mainly made out of stone blocks, and the inner sanctuary was carved into the bedrock. It originally consisted of three pylons, but only two of them survived. The pylon that didn’t survive led to the avenue of the Sphinx; the other two existing ones led into the forecourt. After the courtyard, there is a hypostyle hall and inner sanctuary that is carved into the bedrock.
Amarna Period
During the Amarna Period, the Temple was attacked. Images of Amen and decorations were destroyed, 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 lies behind the High Dam, and you can reach it by cruise on Lake Nasser. It is totally worth the visit since you’ll also get to see two other temples in the same place.