Sun Temple of Userkaf

The Sun Temple of Userkaf was an ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the sun god Ra built by Pharaoh Userkaf at the beginning of the 25th century BCE [1]. The sun temple of Userkaf lies between the Abusir pyramid field to the south and the locality of Abu Gorab to the north, some 15 km south of modern-day Cairo [1]. The ancient name of the temple was Nekhen-Re meaning the "Stronghold of Ra" [1]. The temple complex comprised several parts: on a low hill situated on the desert edge was the main temple which could be accessed via a causeway from a valley temple, located nearer to the area of cultivation and the Nile [1]. The sun temple of Userkaf was discovered by Karl Richard Lepsius in 1842 [1]. Lepsius only investigated the monument superficially and the first excavations of the temple took place much later, in 1907 and 1913, under the direction of Ludwig Borchardt [1].