Abydos
One of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt and the sacred centre of the god Osiris, some 11 kilometres west of the Nile. The Temple of Seti I here has some of the finest reliefs in Egypt and a list of the kings who came before him.
- Where
- El Balyana, Sohag, Egypt
- Grade
- Heritage site
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 3 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 26.1852, 31.9189
Get the Abydos stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Abydos. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Sohag volume with your photos and a note.
Near Abydos
Dendera Temple 75 km
One of the best preserved temple complexes in Egypt, centred on the great temple of the goddess Hathor, south-east of Dendera. Its ceilings are painted with sky goddesses and stars, and stairways lead up to chapels on the roof.
Tomb of Tutankhamun 84 km
Tomb KV62 in the Valley of the Kings, found nearly intact by Howard Carter in 1922. It is small and plainer than its neighbours, probably first meant for someone else, yet it held the richest royal burial ever found, and the king's mummy still lies inside.
Valley of the Kings 84 km
A desert valley on the west bank where, for nearly 500 years of the New Kingdom, pharaohs and powerful nobles were buried in tombs cut deep into the rock. Long painted corridors lead down to burial chambers covered in texts for the journey through the underworld.
Valley of the Queens 84 km
A west bank valley where queens, princes and princesses were buried from about 1560 to 1130 BC. Its ancient name, Ta-Set-Neferu, can mean both the Place of Beauty and the Place of the Royal Children.
Tomb of Nefertari 85 km
Tomb QV66, made for Nefertari, the favourite Great Wife of Ramesses II, and found by Ernesto Schiaparelli in 1904. Its wall paintings, with their bright colours and starry ceilings, are among the finest that survive from ancient Egypt.
Temple of Hatshepsut 85 km
The mortuary temple of the woman pharaoh Hatshepsut, three broad terraces rising out of the desert floor into the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari. Its long colonnades and clean lines make it look surprisingly modern for a building some 3,500 years old.
Deir el-Medina 85 km
The village of the artisans who cut and painted the royal tombs, called the Servants in the Place of Truth. The stone outlines of their houses survive, and their own small tombs, painted with great skill, rise up the hillside above.
Medinet Habu 86 km
A walled site at the foot of the Theban hills, best known for the mortuary temple of Ramesses III, one of the largest and best preserved of the New Kingdom. Its deep cut reliefs still carry much of their original colour.
Questions
Where is Abydos?
Abydos is in El Balyana, Sohag, Egypt. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Dendera Temple (75 km), Tomb of Tutankhamun (84 km), Valley of the Kings (84 km).
How do I get the Abydos stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Abydos and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Sohag volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Abydos before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Sohag volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.