The Temple of Hibis
See Our Feature Article on Hibis Temple
Located at the Kharga Oasis, This temple, built by Darius I for the fertility god Amun, is the largest of the Persian temples that was built in Egypt. Constructed of local limestone around the 6th century BC, the Temple of Hibis sits atop the site of an 18th dynasty settlement of Saites.
The temple is well preserved and contains an avenue of sphinxes and an eight columned pavilion. Entering through the four gateways is the colonnaded court, the hypostyle hall and the sanctuary. The outer wall has huge reliefs of Darius greeting Egyptian gods. The Temple of Hibis is located 1 1/4 miles from Kharga. The temple is scheduled to be moved due to groundwater problems.