Kalabsha Temple: Aswan's youngest preserved temple

Kalabsha Temple is the youngest preserved temple in Aswan. It is one of the largest and most prominent temples of Nubia during the reign of ancient Egypt. It dates back to the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus and is mainly dedicated to the Nubian god, Mandulis. The temple of Kalabsha represents a unique combination of imagery of the ancient Egyptian and Greek themes, mythologies, and religion.

The impressive Kalabsha temple is the first stop for any Nile River Cruise on Lake Nasser. It was originally on the West Bank of the Nile about 55 kilometers to the South of Aswan; but moved after the construction of the High Dam to its current site.

Once you arrive there, you will walk along its bewitching stone causeway that leads to the temple’s first pylon. Then, you will pass a colonnaded court where there are 8 columned hypostyle halls. The amazing hieroglyphs and reliefs on its walls tell us a lot about the Greek Pharaohs and the ancient Egyptian gods. It shows the victories of Ramses II; in addition to two Hathor columns at the entrance and four other columns with elaborate floral capitals. There’s also a nilometer that the Egyptians used to measure water levels and several chapels on the site. You can also enjoy an amazing view of Lake Nasser and the high dam from the temple’s roof by taking the stairs up to the upper part of the temple.

The Relocation of Kalabsha Temple

From 1961 to 1963, like many other monuments in Nubia, the flooding waters of Lake Nasser almost destroyed Kalabsha temple; fortunately, it was moved and rescued with other monuments with the assistance of UNESCO, and that operation was mainly conducted by the German Republic. The temple was moved to a site, located just south of the Aswan High Dam. The process of moving the temple took more than two years. The temple of Kalabsha was the largest free-standing temple of Nubia to be moved and erected at a new site. Although the building was never completed, it is regarded as one of the best examples of Egyptian architecture in Nubia. Now if you decide to visit Aswan High Dam, you will be able to visit the temple with a pair of binoculars.

In 1971, Egypt gave one of the temple’s gates to Germany in appreciation for its participation in rescuing the Nubian temples. Since 1977 the gate has been located in the annex of Berlin’s Egyptian Museum. The gate will become the monumental entrance of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, which is currently under construction.

If you are looking for the best day tours that you can do in Aswan; then get the chance and book us now or plan your long-awaited and dreamed trip and check out all our available Nile cruises and Lake cruises now from here