Worth a Journey

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The World’s 100 Best Archaeological Sites & Ruins

Abydos

El Balyana, Egypt

  1. THE WORLD’S BEST RUINS & SITES WORTH A JOURNEY · 2026 ✦ ✦ N° 74 2026
Abydos

The Temple of Seti I stands at Abydos near El Balyana in Sohag, Upper Egypt, and is a 19th Dynasty mortuary temple. Visitors climb ramps past a colonnade of square columns and walk through halls carved with hieroglyphs and reliefs.

Highlights

  • Abydos King List
  • Colonnade of square columns
  • Hypostyle court reliefs

Good to know

  • Buy tickets at the ticket office, not online
  • Visit takes twenty minutes to an hour
  • Few visitors; guides may ask for tips

Also in Egypt

  1. Saqqara N° 35 Saqqara Saqqara Pyramid or tomb
  2. Temple of Hatshepsut N° 38 Temple of Hatshepsut Luxor Temple site
  3. Temple of Khnum N° 54 Temple of Khnum Esna Temple site
  4. Dahshur N° 59 Dahshur Dahshur Pyramid or tomb
  5. Temple of Edfu N° 81 Temple of Edfu Edfu Temple site
  6. Philae N° 87 Philae Aswan Temple site