The Temple of Amada is the oldest Egyptian temple ever found in Nubia. It was first built by Pharoh Thutmose III of the 18th dynasty sometime around 1500 BCE – he dedicated the temple to the Egyptian diety Amun and Re-Horakhty. After Thutmose’s death, his son Amenhotep II continued the temple’s construction and improved its decorations.
Inside of the temple are well-preserved, finely cut, and colorful reliefs depicting Thutmose III and Amenhotep II being embraced by various Egyptian gods. The temple, along with several other ancient monuments, was relocated in the 1960s when the Egyptian government decided to construct the Aswan High Dam. It was moved near its original location to higher ground where it would be safe from rising water.
