Wadi es-Sebua

Wadi as - Subu ', also Wadi es- Sebua, (Arabic وادي السبوع, DMG Wādī as Subu - ʿ, Valley of the Lions ' ancient Egyptian Per- Amun ) was a place in Lower Nubia, which is about 180 km south of Aswan on lay west bank of the Nile.

The Arabic name "Valley of the Lions" was derived from the sphinxes, standing in front of the temple. The place was once an important strategic significance, since past led a caravan route. He has been inhabited since at least the Middle Kingdom. Amenhotep III. built a small rock chapel here.

The Temple of Amun

Ramses II finally conceived at this point a spacious temple to the god Amun. The temple was created as Hemispeos so that the sanctuary was carved into the rock, the temple front parts, however, were built free standing.

The temple had once three pylons. The first two were built of Nilschlammziegeln, of them the stone arch of the gate are still standing. At first pylon left and right, respectively, follow three sphinxes with lions bodies, according to the second pylon are four falcon-headed sphinxes and before the third pylon once stood Kollosalstatuen of the king, of which only one still standing upright. The third pylon is decorated with the classic motif of the slaying of the enemies. On the pylon follows a Osirispfeilerhof. Of these, a staircase rises to the actual rock temple up. It leads into a 12 -pillar hall, from which it goes into a transverse space, which eventually leads into three chapels.

The temple is built in rather crude, Nubian style that characterizes many temples Ramses the Great.

Conversion as a church

After the Christianization of the location in the rock pillar hall was converted into a church. The two middle pillars on the input side were connected by the installation of a semi-circular apse, so that a sanctuary was built. In the area to the central pair of pillars, a small transverse rectangular nave was built. The baptistery was a separate room in the southeast corner of the temple hall. The wall paintings are dated to the late 7th or early 8th century. The transformation of the walls led to a curiosity: A relief was so adjusted that Ramses no longer the sacrifices of the solar barque of Re - Harachte, but St. Peter with the keys of heaven.

Relocation of the temple

Since his former location was threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam of the flooding, the temple was dismantled in 1964 with American support from the Egyptian Antiquities Service and rebuilt mile north-east of its old location again. The temple stands on the World Heritage list of UNESCO since 1979.

In New Wadi as - Subu ' the temples of Dakka and ad - al - Maharraqa were newly built.