Temple of Amun in Egypt

Drawing devotees, mystics and malevolent military expeditions since 600BC, the Temple of Amun is a sublime and mysterious site that has to be seen. While its most famous visitor was Alexander the Great, the Temple of Amun was one of the most prominent oracles on the Mediterranean for many centuries, so doubtless the great and the good over the ages have come to hear what Fate had in store for them. It is probable that a temple already existed on the site even further back in history, with an unknown dedicatee and numerous myths surrounding its origin. Located just outside the present town of Siwa, in the original settlement at Aghurmi (from where the village moved in the 13th century), the temple perches atop a rocky outcrop and offers outstanding views over the oasis and into the Great Sand Sea. Although a visit here is unquestionably atmospheric and evocative, time has not treated the building particularly well, so you will be required to let your imagination run free at times. History was even crueller to the Persian army sent from ancient Thebes to conquer Siwa in the 6th century BC, an army which according to Herodotus entered the desert never to be seen again.