Great Temple of the Aten, Egyptian temple ruins in El-Amarna, Egypt
The Great Temple of the Aten is a temple complex from the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten located in El-Amarna, comprising interconnected structures and expansive courtyards. The entire complex extends across considerable distances and displays the unusual architectural system created for this religious movement.
The complex was built between 1353 and 1336 BCE as the center of a new religious teaching under Akhenaten focused solely on worshipping the sun god. This sanctuary proved central to the faith but was quickly abandoned after the pharaoh's death and left to decay.
This temple served a religious movement that worshipped the sun as the sole deity, and its open design reflected this spiritual philosophy. Worshippers experienced the sun god directly without the enclosed darkness found in other temples of the era.
The site sits near the modern village of El-Amarna in Egypt and is open to visitors, but requires sturdy footwear and water due to heat and desert terrain. The remains spread across a large area, so plan time for exploration.
The building blocks at this temple were made by hand and vary in size because construction was rushed to complete the project quickly. These irregularities remain visible today in the preserved foundations and walls.
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