Abydos the holy city of Osiris

A country like Egypt, with its long ancient history, hosts various monuments that grab the attention of hundreds of tourists, so Abydos the holly city of Osiris is very important to everyone.

Major monuments like the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, Karnak Temple, and the Valley of the Kings grab are usually crowded with travelers.

Nevertheless, there are numerous other sites that are always worth visiting. The ancient town of Abydos is one of these sites that are commonly missed by travelers who spend their vacations in Egypt.

Not located in a touristic city like Cairo, Luxor, or Aswan, Abydos is situated in Sohag in Southern Egypt, which a city that welcomes lesser numbers of tourists who travel to Egypt.

This contributes to the lesser number of visitors who explore Abydos.

 

Sohag :

Sohag is located around 500 kilometers to the South of Cairo and 200 kilometers to the North of Luxor. This makes the city the best location for one or half-day trips to Abydos.

Historians affirm that the history of Abydos goes back to the 30^th century BC where the ancient Egyptians used to settle there.

However, the oldest discovery at Abydos dates back to the reign of the 4^th dynasty. This was around the 25^th century BC.

Temple of Seti I:

Among the highlights that should never be missed during a visit to Abydos are the ruins of the Temple established by King Seti I.

The temple was afterward rebuilt and renovated several times in various periods of ancient Egyptian history.

What really makes Abydos a distinctive place to explore is that it served as the burial site of Egypt until king Djoser established his step pyramid in Saqqara which became the main royal necropolis of Egypt afterward.

Generally speaking, Abydos was part of the ruling area of Thebes around the beginning of the 22^nd century BC. Moreover, it continued to be an important burial site.

This was the main reason why King Senusert III constructed an impressive temple there.

Some ruins of the temple survived until today. Many tourists who travel to Egypt are interested in such ancient historical sites.

With the New Kingdom coming into power, Abydos retained its importance as a necropolis and a large human settlement.

Ahmos, famous Egyptian king who defeated the Hyksos in the 16^th century BC, built two pyramids in Abydos. Moreover, Ramses II and Set I established two other large temples.

Although the history of Abydos extends for a period that exceeds 5000 years, the ruins include some parts of the Temple of Seti I which was established in the 13^th century BC.

Constructed out of impressive white limestone, the temple hosts some quite distinctive carvings and ornaments.

The Temple of Ramses II, the most famous builder of ancient Egypt, is also still notable.

Some of the walls of the temple show the god in various scenes with Horus and Osiris presenting them with offerings.

There are also some other chapels that considered quite worth the visit.

 

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