Abydos (Temple of Seti I)

Why it matters

Abydos was the main cult centre of Osiris, god of resurrection and the afterlife. Egyptians believed his head or tomb lay here, and the site drew pilgrims for thousands of years. Seti I began building this temple and his son Ramesses II completed it. Abydos lies in Sohag governorate, roughly two and a half hours by car from Luxor.

The reliefs here are among the finest ever carved in Egypt, and some still keep their colour. The temple has seven chapels for deities including Osiris, Isis, Horus, Amun-Ra and Ptah, plus one for the king himself. A gallery holds the Abydos King List, which records the names of earlier kings and shows Seti I with his son, the young Prince Ramesses. Behind the temple stands the Osireion, a symbolic tomb of Osiris.

Plan your visit

Prices and hours checked October 2026. Always confirm at the ticket office. Card payment only at most ticket offices.

Your route through Abydos

1. 1

   Facade & first hall

   Ramesses II finished the front; the halls inside were carved under Seti I.

2. 2

   Second hypostyle hall

   Some of the finest reliefs in Egypt, many still with their colour.

3. 3

   Seven chapels

   Side-by-side sanctuaries for Osiris, Isis, Horus, Amun-Ra, Ptah, Ra-Horakhty and the king.

4. 4

   Gallery of the Kings

   The King List: Seti I and young Ramesses honour the names of 76 earlier kings.

5. 5

   The Osireion

   Behind the temple, a mysterious symbolic tomb of Osiris, often partly flooded.

Good to know

• Look for the famous ‘helicopter’ hieroglyphs: old signs re-carved over each other.