The Temple of Kalabsha
Since ancient times, the lands of Nubia have always hosted marvelous monuments and historical sites that astonish tourists who visit Egypt. One of these great monuments is surely the Temple of Kalabsha.
Kalabsha, the same like many other ancient monuments like the Temple of Abu Simble and the Temple of Philae, were relocated after the construction of the High Dam and the formation of the Nasser Lake.
The first location of the Temple of Kalabsha was around 50 kilometers to the South of the wonderful city of Aswan in the West Bank of the Nile. The Temple was in fact negatively affected due to the building of the High Dam and it was drowned with the water of the River Nile.
The UNESCO has commissioned a number of international experts to prepare a report concerning the feasibility of relocating the monument of Nubia. In 1960, the UNESCO announced an important call to all the countries in the world, in the first time in history, to participate in this huge project that faced many obstacles and hardships.
The temples that were dismantled, numbered, relocated and put back together in its current location. The temple is now located more than 120 kilometers to the South of Aswan, 400 kilometers to the South of Luxor. This is why tourists who spend their vacations in Egypt only explore the Temple of Kalabsha as part of their visits’ programs in the Lake Nasser cruises that offer the guests the chance to discover the secrets of some monuments located to the South of the High Dam.
Augustus, the Roman Emperor built the Temple of Kalabsha during the 1st century BC as one of the largest at Nubia during this period of the Egyptian history. The temple was established for the cult of one of the significant gods of Nubia. His name was Mendolis and he was associated with marriage and fertility.
The first element travelers who spend their vacation in Egypt regard when they come near the Temple of Kalabsha is the little port that used to overlook the River Nile and welcome the boats arriving in ancient times with many worshipers to visit the temple.
Afterwards, an ascending rout that is 30 meters long take them to the steps located at the entrance of the remarkable Temple of Kalabsha. A pylon dominates the facade of the Tempe. However, it contains no scenes or inscriptions of any type. The pylon has an opening that leads to the inner part of the temple.
There are some interesting inscriptions of the builder of the temple at the left hand side of the temple. This is where the Roman Emperor Augustus presenting the offerings to the god Horus.
Among the impressive sections of the Temple of Kalabsha, there is an open courtyard that contains 14 columns that has some remarkably decorated stone capitals. There are also four side chambers at this courtyard.
Afterwards, before we reach the sanctuary of the Temple, there are some wonderful scenes of different section in the ancient Egyptian history that historians were able to understand and identify the characters only in some of them. There is the Roman Emperor dismissing the pigs out of the temple for religious reasons.
