Where is the Temple of Amada located?
Amda Temple is located in southern Egypt, in the Aswan Governorate, on the banks of Lake Nasser, south of the High Dam, about 180 km away.
The Temple was moved to save it from this site, about 2.5 kilometers from its original location.
Dating back to the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, the Temple is 200 years older than the Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II at Abu Simbel; however, as is typical of the great pharaoh of ancient Egypt, the mark of Ramses and that of his son Merenptah can be found inside.
The History of the Temple of Amada
The Temple of Amada is considered the oldest Temple among the Nubian temples. Tutmosis III built it in the 15th century BC. C, dedicating it to the god Amun and Ra-Horajty.
The temple decorations were completed by Amenhotep II, son of Thutmosis III. Amenhotep II’s successor, Thutmosis IV, added a roof to the Temple’s outer courtyard, converting it to an arcade with 12 columns.
During the Amarna period, Akhenaten ordered the destruction of all images of Amun. Later during the reign of Ramses II and Seti I, the Temple of Amada was restored.
In Christian times the Temple was converted to a church, and a brick dome covered with inscriptions was built. Between 1964 and 1975,
the Temple was moved 65 m higher than its original location by constructing the High Dam.
The salvation of the Temple was by the French and in a different way since the Temple was linked as a large box and moved by 3 train tracks from its original location to the current one.
When was the Temple of amada built?
The Temple of Amada is an ancient Egyptian temple located on the west bank of the Nile River in Nubia, near the modern-day city of Aswan. It was built during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom, in the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III, who ruled from 1479-1425 BCE.
However, pharaohs later expanded and renovated the Temple, including Amenhotep III and Ramses II. The temple complex includes a main temple, several smaller structures, and a courtyard and is known for its well-preserved bas-reliefs and colorful decorations.
Why was the Temple of amada built?
Temple dedicated to the gods Amun-Ra and Ra-Horakhty, as is the case with many other temples in Nubia, it has some of the finest and best-preserved reliefs of any Nubian monument.
It is the site of two significant historical inscriptions.
The Construction of the Temple of Amada
Weight 600 tons. The most preserved reliefs are found in the innermost part of the Temple. You can see many comforts of offerings that the kings made to Amun and other Egyptian gods.
There are also reliefs describing the architectural activities of the governor of Kush, Setau, Heqanajt, Messuy, Bay, Merenptah, and Siptah. Behind the gate is a courtyard surrounded by brick walls, which during the reign of Thutmosis IV, was turned into a hall with 12 pillars. These columns record inscriptions dedicated to the two kings, Thutmosis III and his son Amenhotep II.
The inscriptions on the eastern wall represent King Tutmosis IV standing between Khnum and Isis, and on the western wall King Tutmosis IV with the gods Ra-Horajty, Amun-Ra, and Isis.
This room leads to another cross room, containing views of King Tuthmosis III with Khnum, Ra-Horachty, and Amun, and Isis with King Tutmosis III. On the back wall of this room are three doors;
the middle one leads to the sanctuary, and the other two lead to side rooms, the most important of which is the room on the right, representing the rituals of the theTemple’ss construction.
Behind the sanctuary and side rooms are important historical scenes and texts, such as hieroglyphics dating from the third year of King Amenhotep II’s reign and inscriptions recording the completion of the temple’s construction as depictions of a military campaign for the king in Syria. The middle one leads to the sanctuary, and the other two lead to side rooms, the most important of which is the room on the right,
which represents the rituals of the construction of the theTemplee. Behind the sanctuary and side, rooms are important historical scenes and texts, such as hieroglyphics dating from the third year of King Amenhotep II’s reign, inscriptions recording the completion of the temple’s construction, and depictions of a military campaign for the king in Syria.
The middle one leads to the sanctuary, and the other two lead to side rooms, the most important of which is the room on the right, which represents the rituals of the construction of the theTemplee.
Behind the sanctuary and side rooms are important historical scenes and texts, such as hieroglyphics dating from the third year of King Amenhotep II’s reign and inscriptions recording the completion of the temple’s construction as depictions of a military campaign for the king in Syria.
